


The Royal Romance 2: Broken Cinderella

by Twinkle320



Series: The Royal Romance: Not Quite Cinderella [2]
Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Miscarriage, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:28:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 178,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23429974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twinkle320/pseuds/Twinkle320
Summary: After the unexpected end to the social season, Riley Nevin's name is being dragged through the mud.  Feeling broken but determined to fight back, she and her friends must travel the world and find out who set her up, but it means following around the King who claimed to love her and the woman he chose.  While working to clear her name, Riley will rediscover who she is, face the demons of her past and battle to figure out what her heart wants.
Relationships: Drake Walker & Main Character (The Royal Romance), Drake Walker/Main Character (The Royal Romance), Liam & Main Character (The Royal Romance)
Series: The Royal Romance: Not Quite Cinderella [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685416
Comments: 55
Kudos: 42





	1. Fight Song

**Author's Note:**

> Hi readers, I am back with Book 2. I had so much fun with Book 1 that I decided to continue. I am still very new to this so my writing might not be the greatest but I am working on trying to improve. This story essentially follows canon with some of my own changes to dialog and scenarios. I also have added some scenes to fill in what I perceive to be gaps in the original story as well as give my MC more of a backstory and personality. While the character of Riley (MC) belongs in large part to PB, her story and who she is at her core are my creation. While I played this story on Choices, I found myself struggling with some of the choices MC made...I couldn't imagine always being as positive or nonchalant about some of the things she was faced with so writing this was my chance to make it feel more real for me if I were in MC's shoes.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the Coronation Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers:  
> ***All characters, general story and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than original scenes, my MCs backstory and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***
> 
> See end for additional notes

_This is my fight song, take back my life song  
Prove I’m alright song, my power’s turned on  
Starting right now I’ll be strong, I’ll play my fight song  
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes, ‘cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me_

Chaos…even sitting in a quiet, nearly empty airport terminal, all Riley Nevin could focus on was chaos. Hours earlier she had entered the grand ballroom at the Royal Palace of Cordonia as a suitor for Prince Liam Rhys’s hand in marriage. Much of the night had been a rollercoaster of emotions; emotions that she had expected and prepared for, but nothing had prepared her for how it actually ended. 

When she entered the ball, marrying Liam seemed like an impossibility, she was going to say no. In the four months since she had come to Cordonia she had come to care deeply for him, but her heart had pulled her in another direction. The events of the night, however, led to her standing in front of the dais, waiting for him to say her name so that she could accept his proposal. Ideas of love had been replaced by obligation; obligation to her sponsors, obligation to the man she was falling for, obligation to another suitor. She had to say yes to help restore the once great house that had sponsored her. She had to say yes to protect a lifelong friendship between two men that wanted the same woman. She had to say yes because the only other suitor that had truly loved him had withdrawn and she couldn’t let the Prince marry a monster. 

Liam loved her, adored her, in the way that any woman would want to be loved and adored. Even if she didn’t return the feelings right now, it had to be enough…she had to say yes. While she waited to hear her name, full of regret with only a modicum of hope for the future…that was when the chaos started. A letter that arrived early in the evening had been a warning but was dismissed as a prank. It had been enough to strike anger in Riley. When she learned that her fellow suitor, Olivia Nevrakis was being blackmailed to drop out, Riley’s gut told her there was more to her letter; she feared she should leave too. Instead, she stayed. She watched as the man that loved her prepared to propose but was stopped mere seconds before saying her name. She watched as the eyes of every member of the court had fallen on her when the threat from the letter had been carried out. Tabloids across the country ran the story. **_Unfaithful suitor…true identity revealed…secret past…crown chaser._** She was dragged from the ballroom without a chance to explain, forced to watch as Liam did what she had feared he’d do all along…choose for the crown and not for love. 

Once she was out of the ballroom, Riley was taken to her room under the supervision of five members of the Royal Guard and forced to pack her things and leave the palace. Two of the guards had brought her to the airport and booked her on the first flight back to New York. At her insistence, they had allowed her to change the flight to Philadelphia instead. Ultimately, they didn’t care where she went, she just had to leave Cordonia. Now they stood guard over her, tasked with ensuring she got on the plane. What started with the promise of being a fairytale had turned to a nightmare and though she was wronged, she was being treated like the criminal.

As final boarding for her flight was called, Riley made her way to the gate and presented her boarding pass. One gate away, the Beaumont Brothers rushed to stop the flight to New York, hoping to intercept Riley. Riley heard their cries and hesitated, tears rolling down her cheeks as she watched them drop to the benches in defeat. Instinctively she moved to go them, her adopted brothers, but the guards blocked her path. Resigned to her fate…Riley boarded the plane and said goodbye to Cordonia.

\------------------------------------------

Maxwell and Bertrand returned to the palace in defeat after failing to catch Riley at the airport. They had been held in a conference room by the Royal Guard while Riley packed but were released a short time later. It had been their intention to intercept her and bring her back to Ramsford. They had been shocked by the headlines just as everyone else had been, but they knew Riley and wanted to hear her side. She was a member of their house and she deserved their support. When they walked through the palace doors well after midnight, they were met by their worried friends.

“Did you find Nevin? Where is she?” Drake asked.

“We didn’t make it in time. The plane was pulling away from the gate as we got there” Maxwell said. “By now she is over the Atlantic on her way back to New York.”

“She didn’t go to New York” Liam said, startling them all as he entered the foyer.

“But she wasn’t there, Your Majesty. The guards were tasked with ensuring she got on the plane, where could she have gone?” Bertrand asked.

“I just came from a debriefing with Bastien. The guards only had to ensure she left the country…they booked her on a flight to New York but then they allowed Riley to change the flight. While I am unsure of her reasons for it, she booked a flight to Philadelphia.”

“That’s where she’s from” Drake said.

“What? No, she’s from New York” Liam said.

“No, Li…when we met her, she had been in New York for five years, but she grew up outside of Philadelphia.”

“How…how could I not have known that? I don’t recall even seeing it in the Guard’s file on her.”

“Maybe it never came up…she told Maxwell and I back at Applewood and even then, it was only because of a shirt she was wearing.”

“That doesn’t explain the file though…they ran a background check, only one place of residence was listed, in New York. I just assumed she had spent her whole life there.”

“Ummm…well, I think I can explain that one too” Drake said while his friends looked at him in anticipation. “The tabloid story… ** _Mystery Woman’s true identity revealed_** …Riley legally changed her name when she was eighteen. Those vultures printed a pack of lies but they got that one small detail right. She said it was because she wanted her own identity…I don’t think she was trying to hide anything the way the stories are suggesting, but that probably explains the limited information in her file.”

“Drake, how do you know all this?” Hana asked.

“Nevin and I talked” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Okay…okay…we’ll sort all this other stuff out later…right now we need a plan to get Lady Riley back here” Bertrand said.

“Easy…I’ll take the next flight to Philadelphia” Drake said.

“Drake, we already discussed this…any action you take will look like it is on my behalf” Liam said. “We can’t risk that. Maxwell and Bertrand will go. The press already knows they followed her to the airport. Them leaving to go after her won’t raise too many eyebrows. I wish I could offer the royal jet, but it must look like you’ve gone on your own accord. If you file the flight plan for your jet tonight, you should be able to leave in the morning. We should all get some rest” he said, clearly broken and exhausted from the night’s events.

Liam and Hana departed toward their quarters while Drake followed Maxwell and Bertrand to Maxwell’s room.

“How are we going to find her when we get there?” Maxwell asked.

“I don’t know” Drake said. “Liam doesn’t even want us calling or texting her for fear it can be monitored and who knows if she’d even answer. She does have a brother there, I don’t know where though.”

“What about social media…I follow her on Instagram. If we go back far enough, maybe we could at least get the names of towns to narrow things down” Maxwell suggested.

“Brilliant, Maxwell” Bertrand exclaimed. They spent the next hour scouring Riley’s Instagram account, thankful to find that the pictures were location tagged. In short order they were able to find the town she grew up in and Bastien was able to find her brother’s name in her file. Hours later after little sleep, Maxwell and Bertrand boarded their jet bound for Philadelphia.

\------------------------------------------------

Riley woke in her hotel room as the first light of day came streaming in her window. She had fallen asleep without closing the curtains and the bright light shone directly on her face. Immediately reaching for her phone, she was disheartened to find that none of her friends had reached out to her.

“They all believe it…” she said to herself. “They think I am a liar and crown chaser…wouldn’t Drake tell them the truth?” she wondered out loud.

Riley sat thinking of all she had been through in the last four months, all the people she had come to consider friends and family and it pained her to think they’d all just let her go…until she remembered that the Beaumont’s had been at the airport. Grabbing her phone again, she opened a text message and entered Maxwell’s name…

**Riley: Maxwell…I’m sorry! I’m sorry I let you and Bertrand down. Please know that everything in those articles can be explained…give me a chance to explain. I saw you and Bertrand at the airport last night. I know you came for me…but you were at the wrong gate and the Royal Guard wouldn’t let me come to you. I came home…or at least the closest place to home I’ve ever known. I’m sure you’re sleeping now but call me when you get this, please.**

After sending the text, Riley opened her browser and pulled up a local rental car dealer that would bring the car to her and placed her request. A few hours later, once she had time to shower and change, the front desk called to let her know the car had arrived. After all the paperwork was complete, Riley drove to the only place she knew she’d find any comfort…the cemetery. She sat for hours ‘talking’ to her mom, telling her all about Cordonia and Drake, and Liam and her friends. Tears streamed down her face as she recounted the painful ending to her whirlwind adventure. When there was nothing more to say, she just sat…staring at her phone, hopeful that by now Maxwell had gotten her message but no call came. Disheartened, she kissed her fingers and placed them on her mom’s headstone before getting in the car. With the day nearly gone, she opted to grab a quick dinner and returned to the hotel.

\--------------------------------------

Riley continued her routine for days. Most of the time she was holed up in her room, only leaving to go to the cemetery. It didn’t faze her that the grounds crew probably thought she was crazy sitting there for hours every day. There was nowhere else she wanted to go. She hadn’t called her dad or either of her brothers to save herself from the embarrassment of telling them what happened. Maxwell had never answered her text and none of her other friends had reached out either. After the first day, her dinners turned into the liquid kind…clearing out the mini-bar until she had no choice but to pass-out only to wake up and do it all over again. She was living the movie _Groundhog Day_ and didn’t know how she’d break herself from the cycle. While it couldn’t even compare, it felt like a bigger hole than after losing her mom, because this time, no one was there to pull her out. She hadn’t showered since her first day back and she was living in sweatshirts and yoga pants, too fearful to open any of her trunks and look at those dresses again. On her fifth night home, when she was already one bottle of wine into the evening, her phone that had been silent for days finally rang. She stumbled across the room, hopeful it was someone from Cordonia, anyone who still cared but instead her brother’s face flashed on the screen.

“Hey Drew…” she answered hesitantly.

“Ri…are you in town?”

“What…how…how did you know that?”

“Two men showed up at my house today looking for you. What kind of crazy shit did you get yourself mixed up in?”

“Crazy shit?…what are you talking about?”

“They were talking nonsense…something about a plot against you, warnings from the King not to contact you electronically. They said they had reason to believe you had come here and wanted to know if I knew where you were. They insisted that I tell you not to text them again and asked me to call you…they’re staying at, and I quote…‘a commoner establishment called Homestead Suites’. Ri, what the hell is going on?”

Riley laughed at her brother’s story, not sure if it was the alcohol or the circumstances making it funny and she knew immediately that it was Maxwell and Bertrand.

“What’s so funny, Ri? I asked what was going on.”

“Drew, it’s _a lot_ to explain. I guess I could start by telling you to Google me. If you ever watched the news or paid attention to something other than sports, you’d probably know by now.”

Riley listened to the dead air while her brother completed his Google search. “Holy shit, Riley!”

“I know. You’re probably seeing even more than I know about. I haven’t looked for a few days. Listen Drew, I gotta go…those guys at your house were Maxwell and Bertrand, the sponsors I told you about. And oddly enough, based on what you told me, they’re staying in the same hotel as me. I need to go talk to them but I will call you and explain everything, I promise.”

“You damn well better, Riley!”

“Bye!”

Riley threw her phone on the bed and raced out the door to the elevator. In the lobby, she approached the desk clerk and asked for the room number of any registered guests named Beaumont and moments later she stood outside their door. After a couple deep breaths to steel her nerves, she knocked.

“Riley!” Maxwell exclaimed when he opened the door.

“Maxwell,” she said, pulling him into a hug. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“Considering you knocked on our door, blossom, I’d say you found us” he laughed. “And none too soon, you look like hell.”

“Maxwell!” she said, punching his shoulder as tears began to fall down her face. “You know what I mean…my brother called and said you were at his house. He told me where you were staying. But how did you find him….why?” she said, pushing her way into the room.

“We got your brother’s name from the file the Guard had on you. Once we found out from Liam that you flew to Philadelphia instead of New York, we used Instagram to find the name of your hometown. With his name and a city, it was pretty easy to narrow down.”

“So easy it took five days…five days of me thinking no one cared! Do you care? You still haven’t explained _why_ you’re here” she said, just as Bertrand entered from the bathroom.

“Lady Riley…how…”

“Long story, Your Grace…but back to the important stuff…why are you here? Did you come to scold me?”

“You really think we’d do that?” Maxwell asked.

“Maybe not you, but…” she said, diverting her gaze to Bertrand.

“There will be no scolding. We know the truth…or at least the parts Drake was able to fill us in on” Bertrand said. “I presume there is more to it all but that is part of why we are here, to hear it from you.”

“So you know that I am _not_ involved with Tariq…that picture…I don’t know who took it or why but what it showed was not an affair, it was assault. Tariq came to my room on our last night in Applewood, supposedly thinking it was his own. When he walked in I was changing to go to bed and he…he…he tried to force himself on me, thinking I wanted him. I tried to stop him but he was too strong and wouldn’t listen to me. Thankfully Drake heard my screams and came into the room to stop him before Tariq could go too far” she recounted as the tears continued to flow.

Maxwell moved to put a comforting arm around her shoulder while Bertrand stood momentarily speechless. Holding her steady, Maxwell gently guided her to the bed where Bertrand took a seat across from her.

“Oh, Lady Riley…I am so sorry. I wish you would have told us. Tariq deserves to be punished for what he did” he said.

“Its wasn’t something I wanted to talk about, Bertrand. Tariq got his ass kicked…that was punishment enough. I just wanted to put it behind me.”

“Fair enough. And what of the rest…your name, your past…lovers in Court beyond Tariq?”

“I…I don’t even know where to start” she said, running her hands through her hair. “I can’t deny that there is truth to some of what was written. I changed my name when I was eighteen but it was a rash, immature decision that I made. I wasn’t trying to hide anything. My real name is Emily, after my mom. I hated being “little Emmie” my whole life and I just wanted to break away from that. And my past…is my past. The events the press say happened, happened…but they were things that were done _to_ me, through no fault of my own…things that nearly broke me; things that are obviously not pleasant to talk about.”

“Very well…I can certainly respect your right to keep such things to yourself. All there is to do now is get to the bottom of this Tariq set-up and give you a chance to tell your story if you so chose. Then we can turn our attention back to making you Queen.” 

“Wait…” Riley interrupted.

“What…what more is there to say on the matter? You were not involved with Tariq as the story implied, we must go about setting the record straight.”

“Bertrand…I wasn’t involved with Tariq and I didn’t have any other ‘lovers’ in Court, but…I’m not in love with Liam. I have feelings, very strong feelings, for someone else.”

“What? I…I don’t even know what to say to that Lady Riley.”

“That does complicate things…” Maxwell added.

“Maxwell! Don’t act so fucking surprised. I tried to tell you at the fox hunt but you wouldn’t listen. Neither of you would listen to me…so many times I tried to tell you what I wanted but you couldn’t see past House Beaumont and your reputation” she practically yelled. “Clearly you’re here because you still need something from me, not because you care.”

“Lady Riley, we do care, but we sponsored you to win. We need you to be queen” Bertrand said.

“You wouldn’t abandon us, would you? You have to come back with us” Maxwell asked.

“ _I_ was abandoned… everything changed after I was dragged from that ballroom. I can’t do this. I’m sorry…I just can’t” Riley said as tears fell down her face. “I just told you, I’m not in love with him” she yelled before her tone finally softened. “He loves me, I know that…he told me before the speeches. And a week ago, that was going to be enough…I stood there waiting to hear my name and I was going to say yes, for you, for Olivia, for…for so many reasons despite my own feelings. But then that story broke and all my fears and doubts were confirmed…if love was enough, he still would have said my name, he would have known it wasn’t true and said my name and protected me, but he chose Crown and country. Prince Liam chose Madeline, its over.”

“Lady Riley, _King_ Liam chose Madeline, but nothing is set in stone. There is a constitutional provision that states the king is able to change his selection in specific cases for the good of the nation. We are going to fight this. No one smears the name of House Beaumont. Once we clear this up, you can still be with him, _if_ that’s what you want. I have heard you and I respect your feelings…if you’ve fallen for someone else at court, returning with us is your best way of seeing them again as well. But the more important matter is that nefarious forces are plotting against you. We must resolve the scheme against you at once.”

Riley sat on the bed with her head in her hands. “I’m not sure it even makes a difference at this point” she said. “We clear my name, your House is cleared, Liam ends things with Madeline and then what? What? What’s done is done and I let it happen…I stayed when I knew I shouldn’t.”

“None of this is your fault, Lady Riley. If anyone is to blame, it’s the court for reacting as they did and even more so the true culprits behind it. House Beaumont supports you unequivocally. This isn’t over and we will stand by you to the bitter end.”

“And the sweet end, too” Maxwell said.

“Indeed. I am optimistic we will prevail, but we do have our work cut out for us.”

“And what work is that, exactly?” Riley asked.

“We’re going to have to prepare you for the engagement tour” Maxwell said.

“The what?” she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes as she finally allowed herself to calm down.

“The only unfortunate thing about clearing your name and figuring out what happened is that we have to follow the royal court around and they are currently gearing up for the King and Countess Madeline’s royal engagement tour” Bertrand explained.

“It’s going to be amazing! We’re going _everywhere_. We’ll be seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the sea in Capri, the bamboo groves in China…It’s going to be a lot of nonstop parties and a ton of fun!” Maxwell explained excitedly. “I mean, if you ignore the whole Liam and Madeline being together thing. But, what do you say, Riley? Travel the world, clear your name, party with friends, and save Liam and the kingdom?”

“No…I say no. It doesn’t have to be that complicated. I deny the photos, acknowledge what’s true of the rest and I move on. Drake can confirm the assault and my family can back me on everything else. No engagement tour, no return to Cordonia. I can rebuild my life anywhere I want now without all these games. No one in the US is going to care about Cordonian tabloids…there is nothing for me back in Cordonia and I just finished telling you, I can’t save Liam if it means marrying him when I’m not sure that’s what I want. Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Lady Riley, I’m sorry to inform you, but people here already do care” Bertrand said, handing her a tablet. US tabloid headings mirrored those from Cordonia… ** _American Suitor an Embarrassment to her country…US Diplomats scramble to maintain international relations in face of Cordonian scandal._** Drew had been right, ‘ _holy shit’_ , this was worse than she imagined. “We must fix this…the implications run deeper than you think. And the King could still end his engagement based on the set-up whether you agree to marry him or not. Cordonian law only states that he must be married or engaged at the time of his ascension. That is done now. A statement will just be your word against Tariq’s and the credibility of anyone that corroborates the statement will be called into question. It won’t end anything. Returning and finding proof of a set-up is the only way.”

“Riley, I know we are asking a lot of you…” Maxwell said.

“But House Beaumont still needs you. And so do your country and Cordonia.”

“Besides, it wouldn’t be much fun if it ended here” Maxwell added.

“Heh, fun? I think the fun ended long before any of this” Riley said, still staring at the tablet.

“We’ll set this right, Riley.”

“The perpetrators will receive their comeuppance.”

“Okay…okay. This,” she said, holding up the tablet, “has convinced me much more than the two of you…let me just be clear on that. I don’t want to be running from this for the rest of my life. Being the slut that broke diplomatic relations is not what I want to be known for. I will come back and clear my name…as for anything else, I make no promises.”

“Splendid. We have a lot of work to do and no time to lose. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.” Bertrand said.

Riley looked at them, touched by the care and concern she could see in their faces and pulled them both into a hug. “I really thought you had all given up on me. I never thought I’d hear from any of you ever again.”

“We could never forget about you! We came as soon as we could. Palace security took us to a separate holding room. It was looking dicey, but…Bertrand really gave them the ole what-for!”

“I would’ve liked to see that.”

“Oh, it was his finest ‘how dare you’ and ‘House Beaumont commands you to release us’ sort of speech.”

Bertrand stepped back from the group hug, clearing his throat and adjusting the lapels of his blazer with a satisfied smile. “One does not treat the Duke of Ramsford with anything less than respect.”

“Oof…how did anyone survive that tongue-lashing?” Riley laughed.

“They didn’t!” Bertrand said, pleased with himself. “That’s how we got to the airport, albeit missing you and that is how we are here now. Now, go get some sleep and ensure you are packed. You’ll need your rest. I’ll log the flight plan and we will leave early tomorrow. We have a lot of work to do before the welcome party at Madeline’s estate.”

\---------------------------------------

Riley returned to her room and noticed it was still fairly early. Since she had never unpacked, she didn’t have much to do to prepare for the early flight. With the effects of the liquid dinner worn off after her emotional encounter with the Beaumonts, she thought it only right to go see her brother instead of call. 

Ten minutes later she was seated in his living room; her nephew Tim and niece Emmie crawling all over her lap and giggling. Her sister-in-law Leigh came into the room quickly giving her a hug and scooping the kids up for bedtime to allow her and Drew to talk.

“You’ve been here nearly a week!” he exclaimed after she finished recounting what had happened. “A week of getting drunk and sitting in a cemetery…Ri, you didn’t have to be alone! I was minutes away the whole time, how could you not come to me?”

“I was embarrassed. I made an impulsive decision and it blew up in my face…and it blew up on the world stage. You saw it all with your own eyes! They are reporting about it all across Europe. Not just in Cordonia or the US, but everywhere. I’m a disgrace…a laughing stock. And the only person that I’d trust to be there for me without judgement is in that fucking cemetery” she said as she cried for what felt like the millionth time.

“I don’t judge you, Ri. I had a front row seat to your relationship with Michael…I know the shit you’ve been through. I don’t blame you for chasing a chance at happiness and I’d never judge you for lies told by other people. You have to let me be there for you now. You can’t keep living in a hotel and going to ‘talk’ to mom. We have to find you a place to live and a job.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m leaving tomorrow, that’s why I came to see you tonight, I didn’t want to leave without seeing you.”

“Are you going to Dad’s?”

“No, not to Dad’s…unless you told him, he still doesn’t know I came here. And he doesn’t need to because I’m going back to Cordonia.”

“You’re going back? With those nuts that were here? Why would you do that to yourself?”

“Those ‘nuts’ have become my adopted brothers…they’d never replace you and CJ, but they care about me. They want me to come back to clear my name.”

“Can’t you do that here? There is an explanation for everything in those stories. You were assaulted, you didn’t have an affair, there’s a witness. As for everything else, you didn’t change your name to hide anything…and the stuff about Michael is his shame, not yours.”

“I thought the same thing but it would be my word against Tariq’s. You’ve seen how that is here in the US…now imagine it in a country where he is a noble and I am a ‘commoner’. They’ll say Drake is only backing my story to protect the King’s image since he’s Liam’s best friend. If you and Dad back me on everything they’ll say it’s because you’re family and they’ll scrutinize you both. I need find out who took the photo. If I can prove a set-up, I might be able to regain some credibility so that everything else can be cleared up with my own explanations. But proof can only be found by going back. I was against it at first too but I have to do it. I’m a fighter, Drew…if I don’t fight this then I lose even more of myself than I feel like I already have.”

“Yeah, a stubborn fighter…clearly nothing I say is going to change your mind, Ri. Just be careful, make sure someone has your back, you don’t have to do everything alone. And for Christ’s sake, try to stay in touch more and don’t ever hide from me again.”

“Okay…okay. I promise I will surround myself with people I trust, and I will keep you updated” she said as she stood to go.

As he walked her to the door, Drew pulled her into an embrace.

“Leigh might kill me for it, but I’ll jump on a plane if I have to. Just come back safe.”

“I’ll be okay, I swear” she said. It was the best she could do…she wasn’t sure what the future would hold and where she would end up even though he seemed to think she’d back when this was all over. She didn’t know anything beyond that tomorrow, it was back to Cordonia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...some of my original content in this chapter does not necessarily change or drive the plot but I truly in my own mind felt that she wouldn't have just stayed in Cordonia so easily after what had just been done to her...so returning home and being tracked down and convinced to come back just felt right.


	2. I'm Still Standing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley prepares at Ramsford before facing the court for the first time since the Coronation as she joins the Royal Engagement tour in Fydelia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Don’t you know, I’m still standing better than I ever did  
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid  
I’m still standing after all this time  
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind  
  
_

The trip back to Cordonia had been uneventful. With the time difference, even though they left Philadelphia at 6 AM, after a 6-hour flight it was 6 PM when they landed in Cordonia. Riley slept in the limo and awoke when they arrived back at the Beaumont house. Once again, there was no staff on duty, so Maxwell helped her to her room to settle in. After they finished putting away her things, they found Bertrand standing in the door way.

“We should talk about the next few weeks,” he said. “Because of the plot against you, the press is currently having a field day smearing your name. I will figure out how to best spin the media circus, but you will have to ensure your future behavior is impeccable.”

“And that means?” Riley asked.

“There’ll be no mistakes in your education. You’re learning as much about courtly behavior as you can before the tour kicks off. This time, you’ll be prepared for anything.”

“I thought we just spent four months teaching me all of that.”

“We merely scratched the surface. Get some rest…we start tomorrow.”

\-----------------------------------------------

For the next three weeks, Riley never left Beaumont Manor. She, Maxwell and Bertrand spent every moment possible preparing for the Royal Engagement tour, covering all manner of topics.

“You’ve mastered the Cordonian Waltz…but, your quickstep’s a bit, well…” Maxwell said as he twirled Riley around the ballroom.

“Slow!” Bertrand finished for him as he observed.

“Let’s try that one again from the top.”

“Quick, quick, glide…quick, quick, glide” Riley chanted as she moved through steps.

When they weren’t dancing for hours on end, they had practice meals in the private dining room for Riley to learn about food tasting and wines.

“Hmmmm, this cabernet is pretty good” she said sipping from her glass.

“That might have passed for a reaction in a dive bar in New York, but in the royal court, you’d be laughed out of the room!” Bertrand scolded.

“I meant to say…the mouthfeel of this cabernet is velvety and full, with jammy stone-fruit flavors.”

“I can almost taste the pretension. It’s perfect” Maxwell said.

And early mornings, before all of the dancing, and food and wine and place setting lessons, Riley would go jogging with Maxwell through the manor grounds. As dreadful as the lessons were, Riley hated jogging the most.

“Okay…seriously, why do I have to run laps around the estate? How will that help me at Court?”

“It’s just like that thing they do in movies, you know? Like when you’re getting ready for something?”

“Maxwell! Is this like your own personal version of a training montage?”

“Okay, honestly, I was going to go for a run anyway and I wanted some company. Besides, we’re having fun together, right?”

“Yeah, yeah” Riley yelled as she raced back to the manor.

Finally, after a long day of table etiquette lessons, Riley sat down on the grand staircase of the manor overlooking the hall and reliving the memories of the Beaumont Bash, exhausted from all of their efforts over the last few weeks.

“I swear to god, if I have to look at another fork, I’m going to throw it into the fucking wall…Who knew there’d be so many kinds?” she said.

“Bertrand. He knows _all_ the forks. But cheer up. Lessons are over for now. We’ll be traveling to Madeline’s estate tomorrow in Fydelia for the welcome party, and that’s when things will really start happening.”

“Finally. I’m ready to look into the blackmail note and get to the bottom of everything. I really want to know who set me up. When I get proof of who did this…”

“You’re kind of scary when you’re mad.”

“I’m just ready to get some answers.”

“Hey,” Maxwell said, throwing an arm over her shoulder. “We’ll figure it all out. We’re going to fight back, remember? It’ll be easier when we’re on the engagement tour with all the major players at court and can see how people act around you.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s not all that’s bothering me…”

“What else is on your mind?”

“These past few weeks, I haven’t heard a thing from anyone outside House Beaumont. I thought I’d at least have talked to Drake. It bothers me. Have you talked to him at all?”

“Drake usually keeps to himself. Before this past social season, it wasn’t unusual for me not to hear from him for months at a time.”

“I just thought he actually cared about me, you know? With Hana, I guess it makes sense since she had to return to China and had her own things to worry about. But Drake…Drake tried to stop the guards, I just want to talk to him.”

An odd look that Riley couldn’t read crossed Maxwell’s face. “It’s Dr…” Maxwell started before being interrupted.

“It’s for the best,” Bertrand said as he entered the room. “You shouldn’t be talking with anyone at court.”

“But why?”

“Lady Riley, someone wanted you to fail.”

“And you think it might be one of them?”

“No, but you’d better be extra careful. Anything you say, text or do may be used against you. Conversations are recorded, texts are intercepted. If it’s written or spoken over a phone line, we must assume that it’ll eventually fall into the wrong hands. Ergo, we must keep any electronic communications to a minimum.”

“So I shouldn’t talk to my friends? What about my family?”

“Actually, your friends will probably be very helpful to us. But if you do talk to them, do it all in person. You’ll get your chance tomorrow. When talking to your family, don’t discuss anything of consequence to our investigation. I’d suggest you get some rest. We’re getting up early tomorrow, and we have a long journey ahead of us.”

Riley retired to her room and ensured her trunks were packed and changed for the evening. As she prepared to climb into bed, there was a knock at her door. Maxwell stood on the other side with a solemn look on his face.

“What’s up Maxwell?”

“It’s…it’s Drake, isn’t it?” he asked.

Riley’s eyes widened and she instinctively looked down at the ground before slowly raising her eyes to meet his again. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she gently nodded. Maxwell put his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

“It will be ok, Blossom. We’ll figure this out. Get some rest.” After a kiss on her forehead, Maxwell turned to go. Riley crawled into bed and let her tears wash her to sleep.

\------------------------------------------

Bertrand hadn’t been exaggerating about the trip. It had been a four-hour drive before they finally stepped out of the limo onto the grand estate of Countess Madeline in Fydelia. The stone manor had the look of a small castle, three stories high with multiple turrets. There were flower boxes with dangling vines adorning all of the windows, each looking like they had been pulled and planted directly from the lush gardens surrounding the estate.

“Wow!” Riley exclaimed. “This is really something.”

“Madeline’s family home is considered one of the finest in Cordonia” Maxwell explained.

“And, lucky for us, she’s been gracious enough to grant us rooms in the main house” Bertrand said. “Though, I’m still not certain if we should take this as a good sign or not.”

“You mean she might be keeping her friends close but her enemies closer?” Maxwell asked.

“Precisely.”

Not wanting to trust any of the staff, Maxwell and Bertrand helped carry Riley’s things to her room. They opened the door to find a luxurious suite. The walls were adorned with a light blue and silver damask wallpaper. A king-sized bed with a tufted headboard, trimmed in gold sat against the far wall with a delicate white canopy draped above it. Floor to ceiling windows looked out onto the estate gardens with golden sheer curtains providing just enough privacy.

“Well, this is lovely” Maxwell said. “I kind of expected her to put you in a broom closet or something.”

“For all we know, this is what passes for a broom closet around here. Or…the room is bugged.”

Bertrand began to glance around suspiciously at Riley’s suggestion. On the sideboard next to the door, he turned and spoke into a vase. “An excellent reminder that we have nothing to hide, should anyone be listening. The truth will come out!”

“I think Riley was joking, Bertrand.”

“One can never be too careful. Now, you should get dressed for the welcome party. Remember, this is your grand re-entrance to courtly society. The others in court do not know you’re here, so it’ll be quite a surprise. Its imperative that you look your finest.”

“Let me guess…I’m on my own for that.”

“Actually, Maxwell insisted that we do our part” he said holding up a simple pink sheath dress. “If you would?”

Riley ducked into the walk-in closet to change and emerged in the dress a moment later.

“How do I look?”

“Perfectly respectable. It’s dignified, it’s distinctive, plus, it’s designer” Bertrand said.

“And it was on sale” Maxwell added.

“Maxwell!”

“What?”

“In any case, if you can’t come up with something better, I think this will be quite sufficient.”

“I also had one of the local dress shops send over a dress if you want another option” Maxwell said.

“This is pretty, but not quite what I imagine for a grand re-entrance. Let me try on the other dress” Riley said.

Maxwell handed her a garment bag and she returned to the closet. Moments later she emerged in a deep, navy blue cocktail length gown with a plunging neckline. It was fitted through the bodice and dramatically flared out at her hips, with delicate beading on the shoulders and all along the hemline. She had finished it off with a sparkling pair of her own silver heels and a diamond choker.

“This is it!” she declared. “If I’m going into a battlefield, I better have the best armor.”

“You look stunning” Maxwell said. “No one’s gonna want to mess with you. Shall we head out? You look ready.”

“Believe me, I’m more than ready to clear my name.”

“We won’t rest until justice has been done!”

“Thank you, Maxwell.”

Maxwell offered Riley his arm and escorted her out into the hallways of the manor. Moments later, they were outside the grand hall of Madeline’s estate when the doors were thrown open for their entrance. Around the room there were audible gasps as all eyes turned to watch them enter. It wasn’t long before the whispers began. _“It’s Lady Riley!” “Mon dieu! I can’t believe she’d dare show her face here…”_

Riley recognized the voices heard among the crowd but pressed on with her head held high. Across the room, the press in attendance covering the tour took notice of her arrival.

“Lady Riley” Donald Brine exclaimed.

“As fashionable as ever. She hasn’t missed a beat, even in social exile” Ana de Luca said.

“It’ll be interesting to see what Lady Riley intends to accomplish tonight, Ana”

Riley’s grip on Maxwell’s arm tightened but she never lowered her head and her smile never faltered.

“You’re doing great” Maxwell assured her.

“Thanks, Maxwell.”

Before they were able to reach a table, a refined older woman approached them.

“Excuse me. You must be the infamous Lady Riley.”

“I prefer legendary, but yes, I am Lady Riley” she smiled.

“How bold of you to attend…but it’d be a boring party without a little scandal, don’t you think? Welcome to Fydelia.”

“I’ve had my fill of scandal, but I appreciate the gracious welcome. And you are…Madeline’s mother, I presume?”

“That’s right. I suppose the family resemblance must be what gave me away. And hopefully not my age. My name is Adelaide.”

Riley curtsied to the Duchess… “Your Grace, it is an honor to be here.”

“The press said you were an uncouth American who jilted King Liam…But now that I’ve met you, I’m not sure I believe them” she said turning to Maxwell. “Now _you_. I believe everything they say about you” she said playfully.

“You’re looking lovely as ever, Lady Adelaide” Maxwell replied.

“Lord Maxwell Beaumont. You have quite a bit of explaining to do! How is it that I’m never invited to any of those Beaumont parties that I’ve heard so much about?”

“Must’ve been a terrible oversight on our part!”

“See to it that I’m on the guest list for the next one, if there are any more parties now that you’re more…settled” she said, looking between Maxwell and Riley. “Don’t the two of you make a darling couple.”

“That’s sweet Lady Adelaide, but you are mistaken. Maxwell and I are friends. Or maybe more like brother and sister.”

“Riley is House Beaumont, after all.”

“Of course,” she said with a smirk. “Now, you should go pay your respects to Madeline. Don’t let me keep you any longer.”

As they made their way across the room, away from Adelaide, Maxwell leaned in and whispered.

“Game faces…It’s time to talk to Madeline.”

Riley and Maxwell approached a short receiving line near the grand fireplace where Madeline was greeting other nobles. When Riley stepped forward, Madeline wore the fakest smile she had ever seen.

“Oh, Lady Riley. I’m so pleased that your recent fall from grace didn’t keep you away. A lesser woman more well-versed in courtly politics might have gone into hiding. It’s so very brave of you to be here.”

“Thank you for having me, Countess. Congratulations on your engagement. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wish you well. It will take more than a few lies to get rid of me.”

“Oh my. So you’re denying that the photos are real?”

“They were a set-up, taken and made to look like something they were not.”

“Uh-huh…and who would want to do that?”

“That’s what I intend to find out. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about it, would you, _Countess_.”

“Oh, I’m sure I wouldn’t know…I do wish you luck in clearing your name. But I’m sure I’ll be far too busy to follow the news on that. What, with King Liam and I being very much engaged. Isn’t that right, darling?” she said, looking over Riley’s shoulder.

Riley turned as her heart began to beat faster in her chest, her hand on Maxwell becoming like a vice grip. As she came face to face Liam, their eyes met and he lost all ability to maintain his royal mask, surprise evident on his face.

“Riley?” he exclaimed, before quickly recovering. “Ahem, I mean, Lady Riley. I am surprised to see you. You look…well, as stunning as ever.”

“Liam” she said, offering her hand and leaning in…“don’t think I’ve forgiven you” she whispered.

“No, I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to think that” he replied. “We need to…”

Madeline stepped closer, placing a possessive hand on Liam’s arm. “We need to see to the rest of our guests, _sweetheart_ ” she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “Being the royal couple of the hour has its obligations.”

“Ah…right” Liam said.

“By all means, Your Majesty, Countess…I wouldn’t dream of keeping you” Riley said with a slight bow and her voice dripping with sarcasm. “It was wonderful to see you both.”

Liam and Madeline took their leave to circulate the room while Riley looked on after them. Madeline had clearly been attempting to make Riley jealous and it pained Riley to admit it had nearly worked. Liam had told her he loved her, with all of his acts of obvious affection during the social season, she believed it to be true. While she didn’t return his love, she had cared deeply for him, still felt a connection to him and that was enough to make seeing him with Madeline hurt.

“We’ve got to be careful around Madeline right now” Maxwell said, pulling her from thought.

“I know, Maxwell. I won’t do anything to jeopardize clearing my name. Liam and I have a lot to talk about, but I won’t risk our mission.”

“Mission….yes, I love it, Blossom. We're like dangerous and mysterious spies or secret agents. Liam will have to wait. Maybe you’ll get a chance to talk to him in private. For now, I see Bertrand over by the tables. He must’ve found our seats.”

Riley followed Maxwell over towards Bertrand while her eyes were sweeping the room for any sign of Drake. She was so distracted that she nearly walked right into Kiara and Penelope. Penelope turned to Riley and pulled her into a big hug and gushed over how happy she was to see her and how much she loved her dress. Kiara interjected to remind Penelope that as Madeline’s ladies-in-waiting, they were on Madeline’s side. Due to their loyalty to the Countess, they couldn’t be seen associating with Riley. They quickly turned to take their place at the head table while Riley continued to her seat in the back of the room. She was thankful to have Maxwell and Bertrand, but without Hana and Drake, now that even Kiara and Penelope were avoiding her, she felt very alone.

“It’s their loss,” Maxwell assured her. “We’re more fun than Madeline’s table.”

Once seated with Bertrand, they filled him in on their encounters with Madeline and with Penelope and Kiara.

“It seems Madeline has wasted no time consolidating power. Unfortunately, she has us at a disadvantage. We don’t have anything to offer potential allies” Bertrand said.

“It’s okay! We don’t need anyone else. We’ve got each other!” Maxwell said.

“God help us” Bertrand said, looking between Riley and Maxwell. “House Beaumont is doomed.”

“Come on, have a little faith Bertrand” Riley said. “We pulled together and won a boat race, we threw an unforgettable Beaumont bash…we make a great team. We’ve just got to figure out how to clear my name. Now that we’re at court, how’s that going?”

Bertrand sighed and was about to speak when a server approached the table, causing him to pause. Once the server had placed the first course in front of them and moved on to the next table, Bertrand continued.

“I spoke briefly with some of the reporters. They haven’t been able to reach Tariq for comment. And obviously you haven’t given them an official statement yet. According to Ms. de Luca, your best chance at clearing your name is to compel Tariq to make a statement with you explaining the misunderstanding. Where do you think Tariq stands?”

“How the hell would I know, Bertrand? I haven’t seen him since that night. He seemed genuinely confused when Drake told him it wasn’t his room, so there is a chance he was set up like I was but even that doesn’t excuse what he almost did to me.”

“No one is excusing anything, Lady Riley…and please, be mindful of your language. Essentially, we need Tariq to admit to the confusion over the room and that he initiated the advances. No matter how we might feel about him, he _is_ the key to all of this. We need to find him and get him to make a statement. The sooner the better.”

“So, if the press can’t reach him, and he hasn’t been at court since Applewood, where do we start?”

“If he’s being used as a pawn, it’s likely that whoever set this up wanted him out of the way to prevent him from coming forward with the truth.”

“If that’s the case, I can’t imagine he’s going to be easy to find, and it’s not likely to be as quick as you’d like” Riley said as she pushed the food around her plate. Looking up, across the room at the head table, she watched as Madeline fed Liam a bite of lobster. “Oh, gag me! Good thing I wasn’t planning on eating this” she said, “I just lost my appetite.”

Thankfully, dinner wasn’t a multi-course affair and Riley was soon able to return to her room. Sitting on her bed she pulled out her phone to text her brother, but remembering all of Bertrand’s warnings, she put it away until she’d be able to video chat him, figuring that could be safer. As she walked to the closet to change, there was a knock on the door. When she opened it, Maxwell stood in the hall holding two dozen red roses.

“Maxwell! What are those?”

“Special delivery. Housekeeping sent over a new centerpiece for your end table.”

“That’s strange” she said, leaning in to sniff them. “The flowers that are here are perfectly fine.” As she took them from Maxwell’s hand, she noticed a piece of paper wrapped around one of the stems. Carefully unwrapping it, she turned it over in her hands and found a note.

_“I wouldn’t blame you if you’re furious with me, but please meet me so I can at least explain. I’ll be on the balcony outside my room in twenty minutes.”_

Looking over her shoulder, Maxwell exclaimed “That’s Liam’s handwriting!”

“What do I do? Do I go?”

“You said yourself, you have things to talk about…but how will you get there. The hallways are crowded with staff and nobles. Madeline basically put you in the corner of the estate furthest from Liam. He must not have known.”

“There is more than one way out of here” she said nodding toward the window.

“No way! That’s too dangerous. If you fall, you could really hurt yourself.”

“Maxwell, my main focus is clearing my name…and to make sure I focus on that, I have to clear the air with Liam. I’ll change my shoes and I’ll be careful…I’ve snuck out of my room before, I know what I’m doing.”

Riley quickly changed into flats and made her way out the window. Maxwell stayed, keeping an eye on her till she was out of sight, having followed a ledge around the side of the manor. She carefully navigated the ledge, pausing occasionally to make sure no one could see her through windows she passed, until finally she gripped the railing of the balcony and hoisted herself over.

Liam was standing on the far side of the balcony, looking lost in thought as he gazed out at the gardens. Riley hesitantly called out his name, barely a whisper.

“Riley” he turned, smiling when he saw her. He rushed forward and swept her into his arms and she quickly pushed him away.

“Don’t! Don’t touch me!” she exclaimed, putting distance between them. “I’m just here to talk, Liam. You’re an engaged man, you don’t get to greet me like that anymore.”

“Yes, of course. It’s just…” he stopped, unable to finish as he stared at Riley. “Damn, Lady Riley, how I’ve missed you.”

“ _Missed_ me? You watched me being _dragged_ from the ballroom and you did nothing! And continued to do nothing for weeks after. I did nothing wrong! You never should have let them take me away.”

“I wish I hadn’t.”

“That’s all you have to say? You wish you hadn’t? If nothing else, I deserved the right to defend myself and I was denied that.”

They stood for what seemed like forever, just staring at each other, not sure what to say.

“So…lord knows everyone else has…aren’t you going to ask me if it’s true?”

“You and Tariq? No, I don’t need to ask to know that it was a set up.”

“Really? Did you know that before they dragged me out like a common criminal? Or did you believe it until Drake told you the truth…because he knew!”

“Riley, I didn’t believe it for a moment…Drake just confirmed what I already knew.”

“Then why?”

“Why did I chose Madeline?”

“Why to _all_ of it? Why did you let them take me? Why did you choose her?”

“Someone was willing to go to great lengths to set you up…to put you in a compromising position, to invade your privacy, to…allow you to nearly be violated. Drake told me about the lock on your door. Someone was determined to prevent you from becoming queen, and they seem to have considerable resources and access to the royal court. And if I had stood up there and chosen you, Riley…from then on you’d be in danger.”

“No! That is _bullshit_ , Liam. You had just become _King_ … _you_ could have protected me.”

“Riley, I wish that was true. I wish I could say that the palace guards would protect you, but the truth is that they already failed at the country estate. That entire building was meant to be secure. When I think that someone who meant you harm and ruin was able to manipulate the situation so meticulously. It terrifies me that they could’ve set you up for worse.”

“Worse than rape? That’s what it would have been if Drake hadn’t come in when he did.”

“Yes…worse…I never told you about my mother.”

“You told me she died when you were young.”

“The details of her death were kept secret from the public, but she was poisoned. If I lost you, Riley…I will regret what I did at the Coronation for the rest of my life because it hurt you…and I am so sorry it happened as it did, but in that moment…”

“In that moment…you still lost me. I was banished from the country and you became engaged to another woman.”

“I sincerely hope I haven’t lost you…the only way I could think of to keep you safe was to make them think they’d won.”

“And allow me to be exiled…I was alone. No one reached out for days and even when Maxwell and Bertrand brought me back…the last few weeks have been torture for me.”

Riley stood back, keeping distance between herself and Liam but he stepped forward and took her hands.

“Riley…I’m so, so sorry. I know this must have been miserable for you” he said, bringing her hand to his lips. “In order for the entire gambit to work, it had to truly appear that I believed the photos and had severed ties with you. If it’s any consolation, I’ve thought about you every single minute of every single day since we parted” he said as he leaned in to kiss her. Riley quickly jumped back.

“NO! I told you not to touch me, don’t touch me, don’t kiss me…you’re still engaged to Madeline. I told you when we met, other women’s fiancés are off limits.”

“Yes…that’s right, you did. But Madeline and I have an understanding. She knows that I’m not in love with her and she simply doesn’t care.”

“ _What?_ How could she not care?”

“You don’t know Madeline very well but she is uncompromisingly practical and as cunning as she is calculating. That’s the entire reason I picked her, actually.”

Riley looked at him, horrified. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“What I mean is the night before the Coronation, she came to my room and proposed an arrangement. She told me it was obvious that I was in love with you…but that regardless of my feelings, _she_ would be the best Queen for Cordonia. I could have the best of both worlds if I picked her. She’d be perfectly happy to let me continue our relationship…as long as she got to be queen.”

Riley turned and walked away, leaning against the balcony gasping for air.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Riley…”

“ _No_ ,” she yelled, whirling around to face him again. “Do you hear yourself? The fact that you could pick a woman that would suggest something like that is…it’s terrifying and to say you picked her _because_ she’s like that? Not to mention, it’s suspicious as hell! She came to you the night before the Coronation, Liam! She said all those things and then _suddenly_ I’m at the center of a scandal being tossed out of the country. That doesn’t strike you as suspicious?”

“It does…but there’s little I can do without proof.”

“Here’s a thought… _don’t pick HER_!”

“All I could think about in that moment was finding a way to keep you in my life.”

“As what? Your mistress? The other woman? A scandal waiting to happen? Do you really think so little of me? We weren’t even intimate during the social season but now Madeline gets to decide that I’ll be the woman satisfying your _needs_ …like hell!”

“You’re the woman I love. It’s only a scandal if we get caught. And I find that the more that gets taken away from me, Lady Riley, the more daring I become.”

“Liam, there’s no future in that! Sneaking around, always behind closed doors…I’m sorry but that’s _not_ love and that’s not what I want for my life.”

“I got engaged to Madeline to buy us time. Her hope is that nothing changes, and I simply end up marrying her. But my hope is that we’re able to uncover the traitor plotting against you and then…”

“And then _nothing_!” she interrupted. “This isn’t what you want to hear, but I am not thinking beyond that…I came here tonight to tell you that I am focused on clearing my name. My whole life changed when I came to Cordonia and then it changed again the night of the Coronation. I have to put it right, for _me._ ”

“You have my word that I will help you in any way that I can…but we have to be very careful. Before I met you my greatest fear was that I’d disappoint my family or Cordonia, now…my greatest fear is that you’d come to some harm because of me. I’ll do anything I have to if it means stopping that from happening. For your safety, it must still appear that we’re no longer involved.”

“Liam…I appreciate your help and support, I appreciate your love…but appearances won’t be a problem…we _aren’t_ involved…I won’t be your mistress. I deserve a hell of a lot more than that and I have compromised too much of myself already…”

“Riley,” he said, stepping up and pulling her into his arms.

“Please don’t try to change my mind…care enough about me to respect my decision” she said, pushing him away again.

“Fair enough” he said as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead before she had time to turn away.

“It’s getting late…I should go.”

“Yes, you’ll need rest, this conspiracy isn’t going to unravel itself” he said, following her back over to the railing and helping her over. As she turned to go, he squeezed her hand and held her unable to move.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I told myself that at least I’d get to see you again. Even if we couldn’t have everything right away, that’d have to be enough for me. Until I can be sure of your safety, I know it’ll have to be. But now I’m not so sure I’ll be able to withstand it. Everything in me wants to lift you back over this balcony and keep you here with me.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m strong-willed enough for the both of us…this is how it has to be Liam. You are King and I am a member of the court, nothing more. Good night.”

“Good night, Riley.”

Riley returned to her room where she spent the night tossing and turning. On that balcony, with Liam, she had every opportunity to be honest…but she wasn’t, because she still wasn’t sure what honest was. Coming back gave her what she thought she’d need with him all along…more time. But it wasn’t the type of time she intended…time getting to know each other better, time to see if their connection went beyond surface deep. There was no exploring that while he was engaged and more time wouldn’t erase the fact that she didn’t want to be queen. More time wouldn’t change that he chose Madeline and was willing to make Riley his mistress. That revelation had truly appalled her and made her realize she knew him even less than she thought she did. Ultimately, the overwhelming factor was that no amount of time could erase what she had been feeling for Drake. But Drake had pushed her away and shut her out after the Coronation, clearly he didn’t care as much as she thought he did. Her sleep was restless and broken and she awoke exhausted when there was a knock at the door.

“Okay, okay! Maxwell, I’m coming, no need to break down the door” she hollered as she pulled herself from bed to answer it, only to find it wasn’t Maxwell. “What? I thought you were _gone!_ ”  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...a few things with this chapter...first, since the game is so focused on the Liam as the LI (even though you have other choices), no one in their circle picks on up on MC having other feelings which I don't think would be realistic in real life. The gang is so close, it would just make sense for someone to pick up on it so, that's why in my own head canon Maxwell figures out that her feelings are for Drake. Second...I found the scene with Liam on the balcony in the game to also be very unrealisitic...MC is nonchalant about the "arrangement" and so forgiving and I just know if it were me, that would not be how it went down, so that's why I changed it.


	3. Don't Give Up On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley attends Liam and Madeline's engagement party and it turns into a day of reunions, including the one she had been longing for most.

_I’m not givin’ up, I’m not givin’ up, givin’ up  
No not me, Even when nobody else believes  
I’m not going down that easily, So don’t give up on me  
  
_

“Riley!”

“Hana!” she said, throwing her arms around her friend.

“I missed you too.”

“Come in, come in! Oh my god, I am so fucking happy to see you! I thought you weren’t coming back.”

“To be honest, I didn’t think I was either.”

“Do your parents know you’re here?”

“I’m actually here with their blessing. My father received a call from Countess Madeline officially inviting me to stay in Cordonia as part of her entourage. She promised the court would find me a match worthy of the family name.”

“I…I want to say that’s great…but this is Madeline we are talking about. I don’t trust her!”

“Oh believe me, I don’t either. I’m not _really_ here for her, I’m here for you. I actually delayed my arrival until I knew you were here. Cordonia wouldn’t have been the same without you. Once I heard in the press that you were here, I couldn’t get here fast enough. I had to leave just after Maxwell and Bertrand had told us that you got on the plane to the US. And then it was weeks of silence because they didn’t want us texting or emailing or calling. I didn’t even know they had found you. What made you decide to come back?”

“I came back to clear my name. Someone is trying to discredit me…it wasn’t enough that they used pieces of my past or an innocent name change against me, someone basically set me up to be assaulted so they could get those pictures of Tariq and me. If I can find Tariq, I can have him issue a statement that proves I was framed, and maybe I can also figure out who set it all up. Everything else, I can address on my own, but it has to be all at once…if I deny a piece of the story, without addressing all of it, it gives it credit.”

“Now that I’m here, I want to help. I hate the idea of anyone scheming against you. I wish we could have done something as soon as it happened.”

“Me too…weeks of waiting has been torture, and when I didn’t hear from anyone…I thought you all believed it and had abandoned me.”

“Riley, no! We knew the truth…haven’t you talked to Drake yet? He wouldn’t stop going on about how we needed to take action and find out who set you up.”

“No…I’ve been back in Cordonia for almost a month now, and I haven’t even seen him” Riley said as her eyes started brimming with tears. Hana pulled her into a hug just as there was another knock at the door and Riley yelled for whoever it was to come in.

“Rise and…” Maxwell said as he walked in the room but stopped when he noticed Hana. He ran to her and pulled her into an embrace while Hana giggled.

“So once again, I am clearly rising and shining already, Maxwell. I assume you’re here because it’s time to get ready?” Riley said.

Maxwell turned from Hana and smiled at Riley. “That is exactly right! If you’ll please follow me to the boutique, it’s time to make yourself flawless for the engagement party.”

“Oh, mind if I accompany you? For old time’s sake?” Hana asked.

“Is that even a question! Changing hasn’t been quite the same without you” Riley said.

Maxwell led the way to the manor boutique, which was set-up in a large ornate room just off the grand entrance. Once he ushered them in, he took his leave to prepare with Bertrand while Riley and Hana set about finding a dress. The selection was almost as large as at the palace and they browsed endlessly through the racks for something suitable. Hana asked how things went at the event the previous day and Riley recounted the reaction of the court when she walked in the room, her encounter with Madeline and her talk with Liam on the balcony. Hana listened intently, her expression going from sad, to shock, and finally to sympathy.

“It’s much better now that you’re here” Riley assured her.

“Then I arrived not a moment too soon.”

“Just promise me you won’t leave me again.”

“I promise, I’m here until you’re settled.”

“Now…” Riley said, turning back to the racks, “what do you wear to an engagement party where an evil ice bitch is engaged to the King that claimed to love you?”

“I think you wear something pink…” Hana said, producing a dress from the rack she had been searching. “You know you’d turn heads at the party in this dress…maybe even show up the evil ice…Madeline in her own home.”

“Awww…Hana…you almost cursed” Riley laughed. “We’ll get you there.”

Riley took the dress and held it against herself looking in the mirror. “You really have an eye, Hana. I can’t argue with your taste” she said before ducking into the dressing room. Moments later she stepped out in a perfectly fitted, baby pink, lace sheath dress. Hana marveled at how beautiful Riley looked while helping her get the zipper the rest of the way up. After paying for the dress, they returned to Riley’s room to pick shoes and fix her hair. With a pair of nude, wedge heels and a delicate gold necklace, Hana declared the outfit complete and Riley sat at the vanity to work on her hair while they talked.

“Hana…with you being back…do your parents approve of our friendship now? They already thought you were getting head strong, likely because of me and now with the scandal…” Riley said.

“Ummm…no, not exactly. If it hadn’t been for the promise of a match, they wouldn’t have let me come back.”

“So…does that mean I should stay away from you?”

“Riley…they’re my parents and they are very opinionated, but they’ve had enough say in my life, I won’t let them stop me from spending time with my best friend.”

“First you almost curse and now you rebel against your parents…this is a whole new Hana” Riley laughed.

“Well…I mean…once we clear your name it won’t be an issue. Now, you look ready, let’s get to this party and mingle.”

With her dark, chocolate brown hair down in gentle waves around her shoulders, Riley had decided to stop trying to hide parts of her fun side. She had touched up her purple highlights during her time at Ramsford and even added a few more noticeable ones. Now that she was back, she’d follow Bertrand’s rules and training for how she composed herself at court if it meant clearing her name, but she was going to find ways to stay true to herself, even small steps like her hair.

As Riley and Hana made their way outside, they found nobles socializing on the lawn. Hana had been right, heads turned as Riley entered the crowd and she held her head high. Across the courtyard, she saw Liam and Madeline chatting with Constantine and Regina. Madeline turned from the conversation and her eyes locked on Riley. Looking Riley over from head to toe, a scowl crossed her face and Riley responded with a satisfied smile. Madeline angrily grabbed her drink and turned to the crowd with a fake, plastered on smile.

“Excuse me everyone, I would like to propose a toast. First, to each and every one of you for celebrating our engagement. Secondly, to our King Father, Constantine, our Queen Mother, Regina and my mother for their support.”

“Think nothing of it” Adeline said, beaming to the crowd.

“And lastly, to you, my darling. I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side” she said, smiling up at Liam.

“I’m ever grateful to have you with me” he said, making Riley want to vomit.

Madeline raised her glass and took a drink with the other guests and then leaned into Liam and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Oh, honey” Adelaide said. “Pecks on the cheek are sweet, but he’s your partner now. Kiss him like you mean it or I’ll do it for you.”

Liam’s usual composure broke at Adelaide’s comment with a look of surprise crossing his face. “That’s quite alright” he said.

“Mother! We’re in public!” Madeline exclaimed.

“That’s never stopped me” Adelaide said.

“Adelaide,” Constantine interrupted, “I don’t think that’s the kind of support Madeline was toasting to.”

“Oh, it’s fine” she replied. “She needs a little prodding every now and then.”

“Well,” said Regina, “we should have many years together ahead of us. I’m sure we’ll see her come out of her shell.”

Madeline had had quite enough of her mother’s antics and excused herself from the conversation before making her way across the courtyard to Riley and Hana.

“Lady Hana,” she said, “I’m happy to see you’ve arrived.”

“It’s an honor to be here. Thank you for the invitation back to court.”

“And with Lady Riley here as well, I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a familiar face.”

“It’s certainly nice to see Hana” Riley replied.

“You know,” Madeline said, “if it wasn’t for me, she’d still be on the other side of the world. I’ve heard that dogs remember those who feed them. I hope you’ll keep this in mind and remember that dear Hana is here by my personal invitation.”

“Madeline, oh great Madeline, Countess of Whatever…Two-Time Future Queen of Cordonia, let me humbly thank you” Riley said sarcastically.

“Cute” Madeline sneered.

“Isn’t that what you wanted, Your _Not Yet_ Majesty? Should I have bowed to you as well?”

“I suppose I didn’t expect much from you, I’ll take what I can get. Regardless, I hope you’ve found my hospitality acceptable” she said just as Liam walked up to join the group. Hana curtsied as he approached.

“King Liam” she said.

“Lady Hana. I am elated you’ve returned.”

“I’m very happy to be here.”

“Lady Riley…” he said with a bow.

“Hello, Your Majesty.”

“You look beautiful” he said, gazing into Riley eyes with a soft smile on his face.

Madeline looked on with disgust and interrupted the charged moment between Riley and Liam by suggesting he go greet a newly arrived group of delegates. Once he was gone, Madeline requested a moment alone with Riley and led her into the manor to a small sitting room.

“You two could be a little more subtle…” she hissed once they were alone.

“Care to explain what the hell you’re talking about?” Riley asked.

“You and Liam…the long-suffering looks…the star-crossed lovers act.”

“I think you may have had little bit too much out there Countess, you should ease up on the day drinking. All you are seeing is two people who care about one another, nothing more.”

“Oh please…you’re not fooling anyone…have all the feelings you want for one another. A tryst here and there can be managed…but _don’t embarrass me!_ ”

“You wanted him, you got him…maybe you should try satisfying him yourself. I already told Liam that I will _not_ be anyone’s mistress. He’s your fiancé and despite your clearly low opinion of me, I have my pride and integrity and would never be the _other_ woman. Don’t you even care that he loves me…and _not_ you?”

“No” she said simply. “When you’re behind closed doors, you can have his heart and whatever other part of him you want. As long as _I_ have the crown. It’s practically the best thing that could’ve happened to you.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. Liam wanted to marry for love and instead he’s stuck with a power-hungry bitch like you.”

Madeline shook her head and sighed. “I’m trying to work with you.”

“How? By offering me his cock? I already told you…I am no one’s mistress. You’re literally doing nothing for me, or him for that matter. The only person you care about is you. I hope your crown keeps you warm at night.”

“It’s your choice, be with him, don’t be with him…I truly don’t care. Now, if you’ll excuse me Lady Riley. I must meet with other guests before they leave” she said, leaving Riley in the room by herself. As she moved back out into the grand entrance, Maxwell and Bertrand were coming through the door.

“Hey, Riley. Love the dress!” Maxwell said.

“Come with us. We need to talk away from the crowd” Bertrand added. Riley moved back into the sitting room that she had just come from with Maxwell and Bertrand following close behind.

“Super sleuth mode activated” Maxwell said.

“Sleuth mode, huh? What’s up?” Riley asked.

“While you were fraternizing, I spoke with some of my sources. It turns out Tariq’s not just out of the court…he’s not even in Cordonia” Bertrand explained. “Which is to say that finding him will be more difficult than originally thought.”

“So, now what? Do we have any leads? This is the only reason I came back here…it’s all for nothing if he’s not even in the country.”

“We are at a bit of an investigative impasse at the moment. But it’s not all for nothing. Fortunately, the engagement tour’s next stop is Applewood Manor, the very country estate where the illicit photos were taken. I have to believe we will find something there. In fact, I’ve already made arrangements for us to drive ahead of the royal tour. We will depart for Applewood as soon as the festivities here end.”

“Wouldn’t want to miss a minute of this, would we?” Riley said sarcastically.

“Certainly not. Maxwell has a pressing social engagement.”

“Lady Adelaide pressured me into dancing with her.”

“And we want to remain in her good graces for now.”

“As long as she doesn’t get too drunk this time. Last time was…awkward.”

“We’ll find you later when we are ready to depart, Lady Riley” Bertrand said as he and Maxwell turned to leave the room. Moments later, Hana walked in while Riley was watching the members of the court say their goodbyes to Madeline and Liam out the window.

“Things are starting to wind down” Riley said.

“Looks like it…you know, I thought you might be able to use a distraction. I picked up some amazing hot chocolate ingredients” Hana said.

“You have a special hot chocolate recipe?” Riley asked.

“Its perfect for cold nights or whenever you want to sneak in a sweet drink. How about we go back to your room and order in? It’s got marshmallows and peppermint. We can catch up on old times.”

Riley turned back to the window for a moment, scanning the crowd again as the mention of marshmallows made her think of Drake. “I supposed we do have catching up to do” she said, “even though its only been a couple of weeks. Cocoa and company sound good to me.”

“Great! I’ll grab what we need and meet you in your room.”

Riley made her way upstairs and pulled together a seating area and made the room comfortable and Hana arrived a few moments later. She was carrying a tray with chopped and shaved chocolate, cream, marshmallows and peppermint.

“Mugs and an electric kettle are on their way up” she said.

“Let’s catch up on the last couple weeks while we wait.”

“Oh, I mean…I was home for a bit. It’s probably nothing compared to what you’ve been through.”

“I still want to hear about it.”

Hana told Riley all about being back in Shanghai; getting to visit her favorite restaurant and enjoy her favorite foods. It wasn’t the same without her favorite dinner partners, she spent her time wishing her friends were with her. Riley suggested they find the time to get everyone together and sneak out for dinner together. A moment later, there was a knock at the door and a servant brought in mugs and the electric kettle. Hana set about warming the milk in the kettle and portioning the chocolate into the mugs. She whisked the mixture as the warm milk melted the chocolate, then added a touch of cream and a pinch of cinnamon before topping it with the marshmallows and peppermint. Riley waited anxiously for her mug as the smells reached her nose. Finally, Hana handed her a mug and she inhaled deeply before taking a sip.

“Mmmmmm….this is perfect. I could drink this all night.”

“Oh, good. I was worried the temperature might be a bit off with having to use the kettle.”

“Are you kidding? If cocoa had a perfect temperature, it would be this.”

As they sipped their drinks, they returned to talking about how they spent the last couple weeks. Hana admitted that being home was awful. Her parents were unhappy with the outcome of the social season and didn’t like the fact that she had spoken back to them while she was in Cordonia. Riley felt guilty that she had played a role in Hana standing up to her parents. Her guilt was made worse hearing how Hana had been treated back in Shanghai. Hana’s parents had cut off her contact with the outside world and forced her back into courtly training. Riley was able to relate because of all the lessons she endured with Bertrand and Maxwell, without the emotional stress and expectations that Hana was shouldering. Hana felt that Maxwell would at least make lessons fun.

“Fun? Yes. Helpful? Questionable” Riley said. “He’s much less uptight than Bertrand though.”

“Bertrand reminds me of my father in certain ways. You can see why I’m glad to be back here and not at home.”

“Hana…how do you honestly feel about your parents?”

“It’s complicated.”

“It shouldn’t be complicated if they treat you this poorly.”

“They care about me and want me to succeed. They’ve provided everything to me without question and I owe them for pushing me to be who I am today.”

“But they go too far…and they do it because they expect something from you.”

“I know…but I can’t just turn my back on them. It would kill them” she said as she finished the last of her cocoa. “I think its time I head out with the rest of the court. I’m glad we did this…it was fun.”

“I’m sure we’ll get lots more time like this in the next few weeks. Next time I’ll have to ask what other culinary masterpieces you can share.”

“I do have a few more” she said with a smile before giving Riley a hug and heading out. Riley moved to the window seat to watch as the sun made its final decent below the horizon and the last of the nobles dispersed from the grounds. With things outside finally looking quiet and peaceful, she decided to take a walk and get some air.

Riley made her way downstairs and stepped out the front door to head to the courtyard. Lost in her thoughts and with very little light in the gardens, she didn’t notice the person crossing in her direction and ended up bumping right into a large body like it was a brick wall. The impact caused her to stumble, her heels tripping her up. She braced herself for impact with the ground until the person she had collided with grabbed her by the shoulders to keep her on her feet. Riley looked up and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized she was looking right into the hazel eyes that had been setting her heart a flutter for months.

“Nevin!”

“Drake!” she cried.

Drake looked down and noticed his hands were still lingering on her shoulders, causing him to blush as he dropped them to his side.

“Drake, I am so glad to see you. I have been looking for you since I got back” she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Woah…easy there, Nevin” he said as he stepped back.

Riley couldn’t hide the disappointment on her face. “Are you honestly going to tell me you didn’t miss me?”

“I didn’t say _that_.”

“So…what are you saying?”

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, okay? Happy now?”

“ _Very”_ she said with a big smile.

“It’s good to see you smile. After everything that happened…I know it must’ve been terrible for you. If there’s anything I can do to help…I want to do it.”

“It’s good to have a reason to smile. These last few weeks were awful and I kept asking about you, wondering why I hadn’t heard from you. I’ve wanted to see you so badly.”

Drake looked down at the ground, kicking at the dirt with his shoe and running his hand through his hair like he always did when he was nervous.

“Drake?” Riley said hesitantly. “What about us? I mean, you said you’ll help, but…is that all?”

Finally lifting his gaze from the ground, he looked into Riley’s eyes…“Nevin…you know how I feel about you.”

“I thought I did…but the last time I saw you, you were pushing me away. And then weeks of nothing…I guess I was just starting to wonder if something had changed.”

“Nothing changed, Nevin.”

“So…then why don’t we forget all about this investigation and you can just take me away from all this nonsense, we’ll run away together.”

“Believe me, some part of me wants that…desperately” he said, looking down with a sigh. “I want you, Nevin. I want you bad. But not like this.”

“Not like what? What do you mean?”

“This conspiracy…people plotting against you and Liam…it’s not right to ask you to decide right now. I don’t want you running away with me just because being with him isn’t an option. If you want me over Liam…I’m…I’m not sure I could believe it, even if there wasn’t anything hanging over you.”

“You really think I would do that? I told you how I feel, Drake. I wanted you to take me away before any of this even happened….I told you in the palace courtyard before the Coronation, before the tabloids, before _Madeline._ So why is it so hard to believe?”

“My whole life, I’ve grown up in Liam’s shadow. As a kid, he was the one that everyone served and adored. When we were older, he was the one the noble girls chased after, hell even the commoner girls if I ever met one that I brought around, ended up chasing him. Some part of me truly can’t believe that _anyone_ could be interested in me at all when Liam is around. And definitely not someone like _you_ , Nevin.”

“Drake…don’t you see those people were serving and chasing a title…not a person. Liam being a Prince…a King…doesn’t instantly make him better than you. Someone willing to look beyond a title and crown would see what an amazing man you are…they would see what I see.”

“Nevin, I’m not blind. Liam is _literally_ offering you an entire kingdom. I can’t compete with that. And if by some miracle, you do find that you want me and not him…I don’t want you to ever regret it. If you do choose me at the end of all this, I want to know it’s because you wanted _me_ , and not because of this damned thing keeping you from Liam.” 

Riley moved to wrap her arms around him again. “I don’t need a kingdom…I don’t need you to compete…I just need you, even when you’re being stubborn and clearly not hearing me when I say I knew what I wanted before all this.”

Drake shook his head. “Nevin, I hear you…I just, I can’t…besides, if we were together publicly right now, it would cause an even bigger mess. We can’t hurt Liam like that. Not on top of everything else. And we both know you’d be a hell of a better queen than Madeline. Cordonia deserves you. Liam deserves you. Me? I’m nobody. I’m never going to be good enough for someone like you.”

“That’s the second time you said that… ‘someone like me’…what does that even mean? I’m not anything special…I’m not noble…I’m a twenty-six-year-old woman who feels like a lost little girl most of the time. My degree has been basically collecting dust for years; I have no idea what I want in life, which is why I was waitressing when we met. I told myself that I wanted to be in New York, that I wanted the life I had but, I was lonely, I had just run from everything; the mess I’d made of my life. Because that’s what _I_ am, I’m just a mess…a simple mess, nothing special.”

“Oh, Nevin, you have no idea…if you could see yourself the way I see you, you’d know that you are so much more than that. So much more than someone like me deserves.”

“Don’t say that, Drake.”

“Hell. I’m sorry, Nevin. I’m always disappointing you, aren’t I?”

“That’s not what I mean” she said, turning away and running her hands through her hair in frustration. “This whole thing is a mess, isn’t it?”

“It is…but _not_ because of you. Because of this conspiracy against you.”

“But that’s just it, Drake…I was so angry about being set up, but once the anger wasn’t so blinding, I realized that I was so…relieved.”

“I’m not sure I follow, Nevin.”

“I hate what was done to me…Tariq, the photos…parts of my past that I never wanted public…when I find whoever did this, they’re going to…”

“They’ll have a lot to answer to, that’s for sure.”

“Exactly…but like I said, a small part of me is relieved it happened. If those stories hadn’t hit when they did, Liam would have proposed and I…I felt so pressured. It was like Hana’s parents and their expectations except it was House Beaumont, and you pushing me away and Olivia…”

“What does Olivia have to do with it?”

“She was blackmailed too…she left so they wouldn’t expose her and when she left she wanted me to say yes to Liam…to protect him from Madeline.”

“Christ, Nevin…I’m so sorry…I had no idea that you felt that pressured…I just…I want you to get everything you deserve.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever understand why you think I deserve so much…but, I don’t want to think about it anymore, Drake. It’s over…Bertrand and Maxwell are backing off some…they want to clear my name and thereby clear the name of House Beaumont so that’s where my focus is. I don’t even know how many people were involved in this whole thing. I don’t know where to even start with Tariq being out of the country.”

“Hey, don’t get discouraged. You’ve got me, Maxwell, Bertrand and Hana helping you, not to mention Liam. I know it might not have seemed like it right after the ball…”

“No, it didn’t…I thought everyone had abandoned me. Would it have killed you to text me?”

“No…but according to Liam, it very well may have killed _you_. He insisted that not reaching out to you was the only way to keep you safe and that’s what we all wanted to do…keep you safe. You should’ve seen us that night…then you wouldn’t have any doubts.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.”

“Now is as good a time as any. You look like you could use some cheering up” Drake said, gesturing across the courtyard where there was an inviting fire pit. “Why don’t we hang out for a while. That would be a perfect spot, we could make some s’mores and talk…I bet I can raid the kitchen for supplies. I know you probably ate during the party but if you want dessert…you can’t beat homemade s’mores. I’ll make you the best s’mores of your life and tell you all about everything you missed.”

“I’d never say no to more time with you, and lucky for you, I love s’mores.”

“Great…go get warmed up by the fire pit and I’ll be right back.”

Riley walked over to the fire pit where there were two chairs and a small sofa set up around it. She pulled the sofa a little closer and sat down, staring into the fire and getting lost in her thoughts. She was startled from thought when Drake returned with supplies.

“Warmer?” he asked, causing Riley to jump. Drake laughed and took a seat next to her.

“Yes, much. Now, where are the goods? I’m starving.”

Drake pulled out a bag that contained all the necessary supplies for s’mores and began laying them out on a small table next to the sofa.

“Everything we need for a perfect night by the fire…and a perfectly innocent reason for us to be out here together” Drake said.

“And not discussing courtly intrigue” she replied.

“Exactly…Ready?” he asked as he handed her a stick. Riley grabbed a marshmallow and shoved it onto the stick and held it up to the fire.

“This is the second time today I’ve had marshmallows…Hana made me hot chocolate. I’m glad this time its with you…the first time made me think of you and got me sad since I hadn’t seen you yet.”

“I’m sorry, Nevin. I really wasn’t avoiding you” he said, reaching out to take the hand she was holding her stick with. “Here…” he said, turning it, “you’re going to burn it if you tilt it like that.”

“Does being a marshmallow make you the s’mores expert?”

“Damn right….well, not the being a marshmallow part…but I am an expert. I’ve made hundreds of these.”

“I sense a story…you know I love stories.”

“My family and I used to go camping when I was a kid. I practically lived off s’mores.”

“Keep going…tell me more about when you were little.”

“You know how I like to get away from all the pomp of the palace? Well, one of those outlets was when I’d go camping with my dad. We’d disappear into the wilderness for days…Though, the first time we went camping was a disaster. After trekking through the woods for hours, neither of us could set up the tent correctly, and we had forgotten to pack our dinners. So we spent the night huddled under the stars by a small fire with nothing to eat but s’mores. But, despite all that, we loved it. It was the one time he could really relax…when he didn’t have to worry about the King and his family, and he could just enjoy some time with us.”

“That sounds wonderful and…simple.”

“The best things in life usually are, Nevin.”

Riley leaned into Drake and rested her head on his shoulder while they watched their marshmallows cooking…“I know, Drake…I recall telling you a long time ago that I was just a simple girl.”

“I think I might remember something like that,” he laughed while turning his marshmallow. “Looks like it’s time” he said pulling it from the flame. Riley pulled hers out of the fire as well and Drake assembled the s’mores.

“M’lady” he said as he handed Riley hers. She took a big bite of the s’more, trying to catch the chocolate that inevitably dripped down her lip.

“Delicious” she mumbled.

Drake reached across and wiped the chocolate from the corner of her mouth with his thumb and put it to his own lips to suck it off…“I’m glad I didn’t disappoint” he said.

Riley laughed and they sat in a peaceful silence while they finished their treats.

“So…you were going to tell me about what happened after I was dragged out of the Coronation?”

“Yeah…” he said, shaking his head at the memory. “Let’s see…by the time I escaped security, your car was driving away. I ran after it…But I couldn’t get any closer than that.”

“I saw you trying to stop them from taking me in the ballroom, saw you fight them off…but I didn’t know you did that.”

“Yeah, for all the good it did, anyway…Then I headed back to the palace to see what the others knew…I found Liam and Hana in your room. I wanted to know if they had heard anything…I was hoping for good news. Liam told me that security forced you to pack your things and took you to the airport. I had never seen him so angry…he was yelling about how there had been nothing he could do and he punched the desk with such force I thought it’d break. I was angry too but I didn’t think it would do us any good so I wanted to calm everyone down so we could think clearly. Hana actually surprised me…she thought I was being _too_ calm…but I told her we had to stay calm, for your sake. Liam wanted to come up with a plan…but it had to be the right plan, we knew that everyone would be watching how we reacted…especially watching Liam. He knew we had to be careful…knew your safety was at risk and he knew about Olivia leaving as well…with no idea how deep it went, he didn’t want to take any chances. He knew that whoever did it clearly wanted him to choose Madeline and he went with it to give them the illusion of a win but he wasn’t sure of what the next move should be. Hana felt helpless since she had to leave…Liam assured her that he would find a way for her to come back…he essentially _told_ Madeline that Hana was to be invited back to court. He was hopeful that somehow, you’d be back so he wanted you to have Hana for support. Then he asked if he could count on me to help you too. I told him I’d be on the next flight to New York, but he said while someone should make sure you were ok…since I am known to be his best friend it couldn’t be me; anything I did could look like him reaching out to you through me which he believed would put you in danger. That was when he told me the Beaumonts went after you to the airport. At that point, we all believed they’d get to you and protect you. It wasn’t till later we learned they didn’t get to you in time. That was when Liam found out you to went to Philadelphia and not New York but he didn’t know why…so I had to tell him you were from there. He was confused because your file only listed New York…so, I had to tell him it was probably because of your name…I promise, I assured them you weren’t hiding anything. Anyway, I offered again to fly to Philadelphia but Liam insisted it had to be Maxwell and Bertrand so I helped them…I knew your brother was in the area so we got his name and scoured social media till we found the name of his town. I knew they left the next day but at Liam’s insistence, we all maintained radio silence so I didn’t know for sure that you were back till last night when I picked up Hana at the airport. And that’s pretty much how it all went down…”

Drake had been staring into the fire while he recounted the events of Coronation night. When he finished, he turned to look at Riley, who was staring at him so intently with tears brimming her eyes.

“Drake…I had no idea you tried to come after me.”

“Oh…well…yeah. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Don’t say it like its nothing…its not nothing. You were worried about me.”

“Of course I was. Honestly, I still am. Nobles have been assassinated in Cordonia, even those with a full security detail. I don’t know what I’d do if something like that happened to you.”

Riley pulled Drake into an embrace and with her face buried in his neck whispered “thank you…and thank you for telling me.”

“Of course. You deserve to know. And…I know none of us would want you thinking that we’d just forgotten about you. I know it must have been bad for you. I’m sorry.”

Riley pulled back and looked up into Drake’s eyes, holding his gaze.

“Well…I’m tougher than I look but it was pretty terrible. I’m happy now to be here with you…but I…I uh, think maybe a kiss would make me feel even better.”

“Nevin…we can’t.”

“Drake…we can…I have spent weeks away from you, and right now…I want you.”

Drake groaned and stood up, staring down into the fire. “Damn it, Nevin” he mumbled.

Riley stood and moved beside him, turning him to face her and the minute their eyes locked, his defenses fell. Drake’s lips crashed into Riley’s, kissing her with the desperation they both felt after weeks of being separated. His hands moved down her back and came to rest on her hips as he pulled her closer. Riley wound her fingers through his hair and moaned as their tongues explored one another.

“Damn it…” he whispered again as he broke the kiss. He stepped away and looked around to make sure no one had seen them. “I want you, Nevin. More than anything. But I want this the right way. For everyone involved. You most of all” he sighed, sitting back down.

Riley quickly moved to sit next to him and took his face in her hands. “Then let me decide what is right for me” she said, brushing her lips across his. The electricity that coursed between them was undeniable. Riley pulled Drake into her and leaned back on the sofa, feeling the weight of him on top of her as he moved from her lips to trail kisses down her neck. Her fingers found the bottom of his shirt and quickly slipped underneath to run up his bare back. She lifted her hips into him and could feel his hardening length pressed against her. Drake’s hands were exploring her body and heat was building in her core when suddenly they heard the front door slam in the distance. They both quickly jumped apart and straightened themselves.

“Riley?” they heard Maxwell call out.

“Fucking Maxwell” Riley huffed, wishing she and Drake could still be alone and didn’t have to hide. “Over here, Maxwell” she called out.

“There you are” he said, stepping into the courtyard. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Is it time to go?” she asked.

“Yeah…we’re all packed and ready, and you know how Bertrand gets when we’re running late.”

Riley looked longingly at Drake.

“No sense letting me keep you” he said.

“We can give you a ride, Drake. The limo has plenty of space” Maxwell said.

“No thanks, I might die if I spend several hours in a car with you” Drake replied with his gaze still locked on Riley.

“I’ll meet you at the limo, Maxwell” Riley said.

“Ok…make it quick….It’s road trip time” he exclaimed before turning to head back to the manor.

Riley turned back to Drake. “So…I couldn’t tell…was it me or him that you didn’t want to be trapped in a car with?”

“Both?” Drake said, raising an eyebrow.

“I hope the reason for avoiding me isn’t because I’d annoy you.”

“I think with where we were before Maxwell’s interruption…you know the reason. Get going…don’t want to piss off the Duke.”

“See you around?” she asked.

“Sure thing, Nevin.”

After risking a quick goodbye kiss in the cover of darkness, Riley made her way toward the limo, looking back over her shoulder several times to find Drake still watching her.

\-----------------------------------------------

The ride across the Cordonian countryside from Feydelia to Applewood wasn’t as long as Riley expected, and it was peaceful. With her reintroduction to court, talking to Liam and finally seeing Drake all behind her, she had a renewed focus on the investigation.

“So…what exactly are we looking for at the manor?” she asked.

“Hidden levers, secret passageways, loose-lipped staff…Anything that may give us a lead” Bertrand said.

“Get ready to do your best Sherlock’s Holmes impression, Riley” Maxwell said.

“Elementary, my dear Maxwell” she laughed.

“Focus, people. It’ll take more than cute catch phrases to find us a lead.”

“Right…sorry…I’m focused, I swear. I want to solve this probably even more than you do” she said.

“Good…cause we’re here!” Maxwell exclaimed.

It was already quite late by the time Applewood came into view. The manor was lit up beautifully and looked serene, but Riley was full of anxiety. While her time at Applewood during the social season had been _mostly_ pleasant, between having to relive her mother’s death there and the attack by Tariq, she was not happy to be back. If it wasn’t necessary as both part of the tour and the investigation, she would have skipped it.

“Alright gang let’s split up and search for clues” Maxwell said as the limo came to a stop.

“While I share your eagerness to examine the place, we should store our luggage in our rooms first” Bertrand said.

“And then we search for clues?” Riley asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ve got my magnifying glass” Maxwell said. Bertrand just scowled at him. Riley stepped out of the limo and found a maid waiting to greet them. At the sight of Riley, the maid’s eyes went wide. Riley noticed that the girl began to fidget before nervously clearing her throat.

“Welcome back to Applewood Manor, My Lords and Lady!” she said in a shaky voice. “Please, let me grab your bags and escort you to your rooms.”

Bertrand led the maid to the rear of the car to retrieve the bags from the trunk.

“Psst…” Maxwell whispered to Riley. “I recognize her. That’s the same maid who helped us last time. The staff must not have changed since the social season. Maybe she knows something.”

“We have to question her.”

“My thoughts exactly. Oh, do you want to be a good cop or a bad cop? I’ve seen this on TV.”

“I think we need a little subtlety” Riley said as she watched the maid begin struggling toward the manor under the weight of all the luggage. Riley looked back at Bertrand closing the trunk, surprised that he had entrusted the maid with all of their things and that he wouldn’t at least help. She moved to help just as the woman lost her grip and dropped a couple of suitcases.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry about that. Let me pick these right back up for you.”

“No, no…please, you should let me help you” Riley said, reaching for the bags on the ground.

“Oh….um…thank you. Not many would help a maid out.”

“I’m not like most people” Riley replied as she grabbed an additional bag from the maid’s hand.

The young woman, now relieved of the heavy load, guided them into the manor. “I hope you had a pleasant journey here” she said. “The roads can be bumpy at times.”

“It was acceptable” Bertrand replied.

“Why don’t you tell us how your day has been?” Riley asked.

“My day?” the maid said, the shock evident in her voice.

“Yes…tell me how you’re feeling.”

“Well, it’s been a bit hectic the past few days with preparations for the arrivals but the worst of it has passed.”

“That’s good. Is there anything you’re looking forward to after tonight?”

“Once we’ve admitted everyone to their rooms, we’re celebrating a coworker’s birthday.”

“That sounds fun! I hope it comes with cake.”

“The question isn’t ‘will there be cake’ but, ‘will there be enough cake for thirds’.”

“That’s how it should always be” Riley laughed as they reached Maxwell and Bertrand’s room. Maxwell was eyeing Riley suspiciously as she helped the maid drop their bags. Riley gave him a wink and smile to assure him this was part of the plan.

“Thank you kindly for the assistance” Bertrand said.

“We’ll see you soon for some investigating, Riley” Maxwell said.

“Investigating the evening buffet…” Bertrand quickly covered. Riley chuckled and turned to follow the maid further down the hall to her room. When the maid stopped in front of the all too familiar door, Riley’s heart began to pound. She worked to maintain her composure, not wanting to jeopardize the progress she had made with the maid.

“Here we are, my Lady” she said, stepping into the room and setting down two of Riley’s bags.

Riley instinctively turned and checked the door knob as she entered the room, thankful to find a lock. She turned and placed down her other bag before reaching into her purse to tip the maid. When she placed several bills in the girl’s hand, her jaw dropped.

“Oh wow…”

“I’ve been a waitress before. A generous and well-deserved tip can make you feel good.”

“You know…you’re a lot nicer than I thought you’d be. You didn’t deserve to get pranked like that.”

Riley’s smile faded and her eyes went wide… “Pranked?”

“You don’t know? I’m sorry. It’s just…you’ve been so kind to me. There’s something I need to tell you. I know who you are and what happened last time you stayed at Applewood” she said as her face fell into a frown, her eyes filled with guilt. “An…And, I played a part in it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't a huge deviation from canon. I shortened some of the things that I viewed as filler like the hot chocolate scene with Hana. I chose to make MC's conversation with Madeline a bit more confrontational because as previously noted, MC in the game is just too "nice" about it and I also expanded the reunion with Drake a little.


	4. Everybody Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley faces the press at the barn building and spends time with her friends at the spa.

_Looking through the crowd, I search for something else  
But every time I turn around, I run into myself  
Here I stand, consumed by my surroundings  
Just another day, Of everybody looking  
I swore they’d never see me cry, You’ll never see my cry_

In the middle of the room where her world had once again been turned on it’s head, Riley stood speechless at the maid’s revelation. She felt herself teetering on the edge of anger but knew she had to keep her cool if she wanted answers.

“Tell me what happened” she said.

“Look, that night, one of the noble ladies came to me…she told me she wanted to play a practical joke on her friends and asked if I’d help. We’re supposed to help the guests in whatever way we can. You don’t know the kind of trouble the nobles can cause for us if they’re displeased. She told me that we were going to play Cupid because two of her friends were desperately in love, but too shy to act on it. So I had to deliver a love letter to Lord Tariq saying it was on your behalf, and mention that his room assignment had changed to your room. She said if only we were able to put the two of you together, true love would do the rest.”

“You didn’t think that was a weird request?”

“Trust me, that’s not the weirdest we’ve gotten. And it sounded harmless at the time…but when I heard about the scandal and saw the photos that came out…”

“It’s okay…I understand you were just doing your job. But, do you know who it was that told you to do it? Please, if you know…tell me. You owe me that much.”

“I…I didn’t get a good look at her face. The lady was wearing sunglasses and a scarf on her head.”

“And that didn’t seem suspicious?”

“Not really…Many of the nobles don’t want to be bothered by the paparazzi, so they dress that way often to avoid photos. Other than that, I didn’t see anything. I’m sorry I was tight-lipped about it earlier. I was shocked to see you’d returned. You deserve to know, even if I was afraid to come clean.”

“Trust me when I say, I don’t want to be here…especially in this room. But I am glad we came and that you told me.”

“I should go now, but I wish you all the luck in clearing your name. It never should have been smeared in the first place. Goodnight, my lady.”

“Thank you…just, be careful. The people behind this conspiracy could be dangerous. You shouldn’t talk freely about it this with anyone else.”

“Oh…Thank you for the warning. I won’t speak to anyone else about it.”

“Stay safe. Goodnight.”

Once the maid bowed and left the room, Riley hastily threw her bags on the bed and rushed down the hall to Maxwell and Bertrand. They stared wide-eyed as she recounted the maid’s confession.

“I don’t know if it’s enough, but it’s a start…we know a noble lady set things into motion with the letter and having Tariq told his room had been changed” she said.

“Was she able to identify the lady in question?” Bertrand asked.

“No…the lady was careful to disguise herself.”

“It seems what we have here, my dear friends, is an instance of foul play. Find my pipe and magnifying glass. We have a case to solve” Maxwell declared.

“Drop the antics, Maxwell. We’re already investigating.”

“Exquisite work, Bertrand, my dear chap.”

“Focus, Maxwell. This information at least gives us some proof that you were indeed set-up.”

“But we have to find more evidence…this doesn’t seem like enough” Riley said.

“Unfortunately, you are correct. The evidence is too circumstantial. _We_ know you never sent a letter to Tariq, but how can we prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt?” Bertrand stated.

“We have a witness” Maxwell said.

“ _One_ witness – a maid, who would have everything to gain from currying favor with nobles such as ourselves. As with Drake coming forward, her credibility would be questioned. At best, this would poke holes in the narrative but we want a clear refutation of any wrongdoing. For now, let’s take heart. We’ve made our first steps towards solving this case.”

“Yeah, at least we know it’s a noble _lady,_ which rules out…a little more than half the court” Maxwell said.

“I guess that’s a small victory” Riley conceded.

“Woo hoo! We’re doing it!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“In the meantime, Lady Riley, you must continue to endure through the engagement tour. Which means focusing on tomorrow’s event…barn-raising.”

“We’re raising what now?” Riley asked with a look of surprise and trepidation on her face.

“It’s an important Cordonian tradition where, as a community, we build a barn to symbolize the future of the bride and groom.”

“Maybe we should build the barn on a shaky foundation, then it would really represent their future. Lord knows Madeline doesn’t deserve a future with Liam” she scoffed.

“Be that as it may, if we are to prevent them from _having_ a future together, you’ll have to participate in celebrating it. It’s a paradox, I know, but you have to attend to improve your image.”

“Fine…but I don’t have to like it.”

“You’ll have to be good at pretending to like it. This is your chance to impress the court and show you are not shaken by what the media says about you. Maybe you can even steal some time with the King.”

“More opportunity to showcase my acting skills…I can handle it. But I won’t be looking to steal any time with Liam, that is the last thing on my mind. What should I expect from the press? Will there be questions?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve made arrangements to handle them. Now, to make those good impressions on your end, I recommend dressing down in an outfit suited for physical labor.”

“Finally! Something I can cover with my own wardrobe!”

“Are you sure you have something suitable?”

“That means, ‘ _We know you’ll come up with something that is practical, fashionable and awesome because you are the best, Riley.’”_ Maxwell said.

“I suppose that’s close enough to the sentiment to work. Maxwell will meet you in the morning. Rest well, Lady Riley.”

\---------------------------------------

As usual, Maxwell was at Riley’s door bright and early, or extra bright and early since the sun wasn’t even up yet. Riley had barely slept a wink being back in that room. Hours had been spent checking the lock, staring at the ceiling and wishing she was somewhere…anywhere, else. After admitting defeat, knowing sleep wouldn’t come, she had gotten up to get ready, spending extra time on her makeup to hide the bags under her eyes.

“I’m here to escort you to the limo if you’re ready” he called through the door.

Opening it to let him in, she stepped back and did a twirl to show off her barn raising outfit. She had selected a pair of denim shorts that showed off her tone and tan legs and a white tank top with a red flannel print shirt over top, open and tied at her waist. The look was completed with her cowboy boots and a practical fishtail braid for her hair.

“So?”

“Now, that’s ingenuity…you look like a true country farm girl. Shall we go?” he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“No other way but forward, right?” Riley shrugged, unable to return his enthusiasm.

Noticing her hesitation, Maxwell moved to place a comforting arm around her shoulders.

“I know these aren’t the greatest circumstances to be under but I believe you’ll pull through this…I’m sorry if I ever made you doubt it but you need to know your happiness means a lot to me.”

“I know Maxwell…I don’t doubt your support. When I first told you how I was feeling, I realize it put you in a tough spot. You were under a lot of pressure from Bertrand, looking back I can’t blame you for how you reacted.”

“Thanks, Blossom. What do you say we get to the barn raising? The physical activity will help with the stress.”

Riley took Maxwell’s arm and they headed through the manor and out the front entrance. As they made their way across the grounds to the limo, a mob of waiting press rushed toward them.

“This just in, the disgraced Lady Riley is making her appearance” Ana de Luca said to the camera as the mob continued to descend on them.

Riley gripped Maxwell’s arm and felt the panic rising inside her. 

“Just keep your head down and move quickly” he instructed. “The limo is just at the end of this walkway, we can make it.”

Within feet of the limo, the press swarmed in a circle around them, blocking their path as microphones flew toward Riley’s face. She raised her arm instinctively to shield herself as they began to shout questions.

_“Why are you still in court?”_

_“How many lovers were there Lady Riley? Or should we call you Lady Emily?”_

Maxwell pulled Riley closer and began trying to push through the mob.

“Excuse us, sorry, no time for autographs today” he joked.

“Lady Riley, Cordonia wants to know. Why did you betray King Liam?” Ana de Luca asked.

Cautiously lowering her arm, she steeled her shoulders and looked Ana right in the eye… “I deny any wrongdoing” she said.

“So, you’re saying there’s more here than meets the eye? Why haven’t you spoken out before if that’s true?”

“We could stand around all day pointing fingers and asking questions, but where would that get us?” Maxwell interjected.

“The truth? A story I can print?” Ana said.

“Those are all valid goals and in times like these we should all strive to have goals…and in time…”

Before Maxwell could finish, a hand reached through and pushed the horde of microphones out of the way, clearing a path to the limo.

“Alright, back off, back off” the stranger said. “You’ll get your chance to hear from Lady Riley at the barn raising and not a minute sooner.”

The man moved to act as a shield for Riley, placing his hand on the small of her back and leaning in to whisper… “Keep moving, Lady Riley. Nice and easy. No need to feed the carrions just yet” while he guided her toward the limo.

Riley looked up at him, unsure of how to react.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Your new best friend” he cryptically replied with a smile that made Riley uneasy.

Before she could react, he had her through the crowd to the waiting limo where Bertrand was waving them all in. Once they were safe inside, Riley leaned her head back against the seat and tried to calm her breathing and fight her tears. As she battled to ground herself against an anxiety attack, she felt Maxwell’s comforting hand on her arm.

“Riley, are you okay? That was scary. The press surrounded us like a zombie horde.”

“Uh…yeah, yeah…I’m okay” she said, trying to stay strong. “We’re safe now, thanks to….ummm…” she said with an inquiring glance toward the stranger.

“The name’s Justin. And it looks like I arrived ‘ _just-in’_ time” he replied. Riley rolled her eyes at the corny pun while Bertrand stepped in to explain.

“He’s an up and coming communications agent in the Cordonian bureaucracy.”

“Up and coming means affordable” Maxwell added, which earned a groan and a death glare from Bertrand.

“What it means is that I’m a bargain right now” Justin said. “Next year when people have seen my magic, my prices will be double or triple what they are today. Of course, guiding you through the current storm may quintuple my prices, which is why I’m keen to work for you.”

“Work for _me_ , how?” Riley asked.

“ _Ahem…_ I brought Justin on as press secretary to help manage your image.”

“And I’m just finding out about this….in the middle of _that_ ” she asked, pointing at the still gathered mob of press. “I’d say there was probably a better time for introductions.”

“Forgive the intrusion…we weren’t expecting press till we arrived at the barn raising so we planned to meet here. When it looked like they were giving you a rough time, I had to step in. I don’t like to see my client’s manhandled.”

“I was doing just fine on my own, thank you” she said. Between having this sprung on her, and feeling something off in this guy’s vibe, she was hesitant about bringing him into their inner circle.

“You’re tough as nails. I can tell. Doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from a little polish.”

“Bertrand…is this _really_ necessary?”

“Lady Riley, I’m just here to help you” Justin tried to assure her. “That means doing whatever you need…even if that’s just giving you space to do your own thing. The important thing is that I’m an extra resource for you to help control your image.”

“We need image control now more than ever” Bertrand added.

Riley cast a doubtful look toward Maxwell who just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. They both knew trying to change Bertrand’s mind was a waste of time.

“Justin, if you’ll please give her some tips” Bertrand said, “so we can avoid any future mishaps, that would be most appreciated.”

“You act as if I have _had_ mishaps, Bertrand! Nothing I did caused this!” she protested.

“Be that as it may, we need to ensure that nothing you do makes it worse” Bertrand replied.

“The biggest tip for today…” Justin began, “you’ve got to be careful when feeding the press. They’re like starved tigers, and you’re trying to feed them bits of raw meat out of the palm of your hand.”

“Meaning?”

“If you’re not careful, you’re going to lose a few fingers.”

“So basically the age old concept of ‘don’t say anything that can come back and bite me in the ass’…any other tips that aren’t common sense?”

“They’re going to steer your answers with questions because they want that perfect sound bite to fit _their_ narrative.”

Riley stared blankly at Justin for a moment before looking between Maxwell and Bertrand… “are you kidding me with this?” she asked before turning back to Justin. “How much did they tell you about me? Did you know I went to undergrad with the intention of becoming a lawyer? Despite today’s image of ‘naïve country girl’, I know all about _leading the witness_ and how to avoid being led.”

“I don’t take you for naïve. And knowing how to avoid it puts you a step ahead. You have to be the one to control _your_ narrative. Stay on message.”

Riley rolled her eyes and shook her head before turning to look out the window when Maxwell interjected.

“Right…er…what’s the message?” he asked.

“That Riley is a perfect little angel who loves Cordonia.”

Riley snapped her head around, “how patronizing.”

“No…it’s not patronizing…it just means your innocent. Drive it home. If they ask you about anything else, pivot to your innocence. It doesn’t matter what it is, even if they want to know your mother’s maiden name, you stay on message.”

“Considering proving my innocence is the _only_ reason I am here, that shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Well, not the only reason, Blossom…you’re here because you lo…”

“MAXWELL!” Riley shouted, shooting daggers from her eyes. “Not now!”

“Right” he said sheepishly.

“Right, now is the time to prepare. Press are already gathering at the barn raising event. It’s a good time to issue an official statement.”

“Making some sort of statement now would probably help” she relented. “Maybe we can shift the narrative and spin my image to weather the news cycle.”

“Keep throwing around jargon like that, and everyone will think you’re a professional.”

“I told you I can handle myself” she said as the limo rolled to a stop.

“Showtime!” Justin declared.

“Good luck, Blossom.”

Riley stepped out of the limo into a large open field with rows of corn off to one side and a clearing where workers had already begun framing the barn to the other. Before she could take two steps, the press had already surrounded her, though thankfully they weren’t as aggressive as they had been at the Manor. Justin stood protectively at her side and for a fleeting moment she felt bad for being so hard on him during the ride over. Donnie Brine from the CBC was the first to call out.

“Lady Riley, if we could get in a quick question.”

“We’ll hold the questions” Justin said. “I believe Lady Riley would like to issue a statement instead” he said, giving her an encouraging nod as the cameras trained their focus and the microphones surged forward.

“Good morning…I spent the social season falling in love with this beautiful kingdom. In fact, faced with the possibility of having to leave, I found that I had begun to think of it as home. I am very grateful to the Beaumonts for bringing me here and welcoming me into their family and I am here today in support of Crown and Country…and that is all I have to say for now. Thank you.”

The pressed erupted into a flurry of raised hands and chatter. Maxwell stepped up to take Riley’s arm while Justin stepped in to finish with the press.

“Thank you all for your time, but Lady Riley has a barn to build.”

With other nobles beginning to arrive and the realization that Riley would have no more to say, the press moved along without much fanfare. Justin and Bertrand joined Riley and Maxwell just off to the side of the barn where the laborers were gathered.

“So, how was that?” she asked.

“You crushed it. This is going to be the easiest job I’ve ever had. And I once interned as an ice cream taste-tester” Justin said, beaming. Bertrand nodded his approval as other nobles moved into the area to join the laborers.

“Looks like they’ve already started” Maxwell said.

“Time to jump in. I’ll let you get to it” Justin replied.

“I have had my fill of the heat” Bertrand said. “I’ll be back at the manor looking for more clues.”

Riley laughed and shook her head as Bertrand walked toward the limo. As she shifted her gaze to the barn, she caught sight of King Liam and Madeline and heard them giving an interview a few feet away.

“How does it feel to help build a barn alongside your fellow Cordonians?” Donald Brine asked them.

“We’re honored to be a part of this great Cordonian tradition” Madeline replied.

Riley noticed Maxwell watching too and she playfully imitated a gag while rolling her eyes until Liam’s voice pulled her back to the moment.

“This is a way of showing that the Crown serves with the people of Cordonia” he said.

“Speaking of the people, the country wants to know…are you two enjoying your engagement together?” Donald asked.

Madeline moved a step closer to Liam and wrapped her arm around his as she replied, “I couldn’t be happier with my Liam.”

“Of course, we couldn’t imagine being with anyone else” Liam answered.

Riley looked on, frozen as Donald wrapped up the interview.

“You okay, Riley” Maxwell said, bringing her back to the present.

“Ummm…yeah…I’m okay. No reason not to be, right? I mean, he’s the one lying to the press and the people…going through the motions and pretending to be in love with her when he’s not, right?”

“It’s okay to admit it hurts.”

“Maxwell! I have no right to feel hurt” she protested.

“He told you he loved you, Ri.”

“Yep, he did…and now he’s telling the world that he loves someone else. So maybe, _if_ it hurts, just a little, its because the whole thing makes me wonder which is true. I already told you I’m not in love with him.”

“But a month ago, you were going to say yes, you were going to marry him.”

“What are you trying to accomplish here, Max? I was going to say yes for a list of reasons, none of which included love. It would have been me up there going through the motions. I can’t make this make sense for you when it doesn’t make sense to me. I came here because I _thought_ I had a chance at love with Liam…but what we just witnessed is exactly what held me back. All of this royal stuff makes it hard to tell what’s reality. And in the meantime, I found something that felt _real_ , only to be told that that’s wrong too. So yeah, it hurts, it all hurts.”

Maxwell pulled Riley into an embrace. “Maybe it would be easier if Liam could just cast aside tradition and end things with Madeline.”

“That wouldn’t solve the problem of my divided heart.”

“Plus the King knows better than to do something so foolish and reckless” came a voice from behind them. “He has to think of Cordonia, after all.”

“Jesus! Justin, don’t sneak up on people” Riley exclaimed. “But thank you for the reminder,” she said, looking back up at Maxwell. “Always for the crown” she whispered.

“Sorry, I just came to say this is where I break off” Justin said, ignoring her remark.

“You’re not going to build with us?” she asked.

“As much as I would love to, my talents are better suited to subtly directing the press to take photos of you. Wish me luck in the hornet’s nest” he said as he turned to go.

“Let’s find something to do” Maxwell said, guiding Riley into the framed barn.

Looking around for where they could be of use, Riley noticed Drake and Hana operating a pulley system and struggling to lift a beam off the ground. For a moment, she was briefly overcome by the sight of a shirtless Drake, sweat glistening on his chiseled chest. 

“Pull!”

Broken from her trance by Drake’s shout and Hana’s grunts of effort, she and Maxwell stepped up to offer assistance.

“Pull! Pull! Pull!” Maxwell chanted.

“Hey guys” Riley said.

“Maxwell! Riley!” Hand exclaimed as she dropped the rope. The beam came crashing back to the ground causing Drake to jump back. “Oops! Sorry, Drake! I was just excited to see our friends. And it looks like Riley came dressed and ready to work.”

“You know it” Riley replied with her eyes locked on Drake.

“I don’t think we were going to get it all the way up there anyway” he said as his eyes drank in Riley from head to toe. Unable to break her gaze from him, her mouth betrayed her by speaking her inner thoughts…

“Drake…you’re not wearing a shirt.”

“Oh…right” he said, glancing down as a blush crossed his face.

“He started off with a shirt” Hana explained, as if unaware of the tension in the air.

“Hey, it’s hot out! A guy’s got to cool off somehow. Maxwell, you’re going to be sweating buckets in that black shirt.”

“There’s a spot over there where many of the nobles are hanging their dress shirts” Hana pointed. “Or alternatively, I think Drake chose a spot on the ground for his.”

“Nah, I’ll leave my shirt on” Maxwell replied in a shaky voice. “This button down is made of moisture wicking fabric, very breathable.”

“Drake, you sure you’re not trying to show off for the press?” Riley asked unable to break from her solitary focus.

“I’m happiest out of frame” he replied.

“Well, Riley should be giving the press something to shoot. Come on! Let’s lift things and build barns” Maxwell said.

“I think that’s missing a few steps” Hana said.

“Details, details” Maxwell scoffed.

“If we’re done discussing clothes…” Drake started.

“Or lack thereof” Riley added.

Drake chuckled and shook his head. “Can we get back to work? Is everybody ready?” he asked, nodding to the rope.

Hana stepped back into position with Riley and Maxwell joining her, taking a firm hold of the rope.

“Now, on three, pull together” Drake instructed. “One…two…three.”

With great effort and a chorus of grunts and groans, Riley and her friends managed to lift the beam to the second floor of the barn where laborers took over to use it in the roof framing. They celebrated in triumph while the press snapped photos.

“We showed that beam” Riley exclaimed.

“That was mostly me, but the help was appreciated” Maxwell joked. “Riley, I’m going to go look for another task that will put you on the front page.”

“Making planks for the walls looks like fun. You could help me with that” Hana offered.

“You’re welcome to stay here” Drake added.

Riley looked between her friends and back to the press that seemed to be trained on her regardless, so she knew where she wanted to be.

“I’ll stay here with Drake” she replied.

“Suit yourself” Maxwell said as he and Hana headed off to make planks.

“Well, looks like you’ve chosen to stick with me, Nevin.”

“I stand by my decision” she said, holding his gaze. “So what does big strong Drake need my help with?” she asked, perhaps a little more seductively than she should have. Drake ran his fingers through his hair and looked away as he always did when he was nervous, before replying.

“Beam lifting, of course. But I’m bringing in some help.”

Drake waved over a few laborers, who attached a sweet looking chestnut horse to the pulley system. Riley immediately recognized Autumn’s Ember from their ride on the fox hunt and stepped up to nuzzle her.

“I figured some real horsepower would make everything go a lot quicker. But this’ll also make an even better picture for the press. Your outfit next to a horse will complete the look.”

“Aww…thanks, Drake” she said, smiling at him. “You do care.”

“Of course, I do, Nevin. Never said I didn’t.”

The air felt charged again as they just gazed at each other until the sound of shutters clicking reminded Riley that she needed to be careful of what the cameras saw and she turned her attention back to work.

“So, what do I need to do?”

“I want you to guide the horse forward, while I direct the beam” Drake instructed.

“Got it.”

Drake secured another beam to the pulley and Riley slowly guided Autumn’s Ember forward. The beam lifted from the ground with ease as Drake kept his hands on it, guiding it through the air and steering it to the second floor. Work was swift as Drake had anticipated and before long, all the beams had been lifted. Drake walked toward Riley, his muscles glistening in the sunlight.

“Whew, that wasn’t so bad. Good work, Nevin.”

“Thanks, but the horse did most of the work.”

“We’ll call it a team effort.”

As laborers stepped in to take Autumn’s Ember back to the stable, Drake and Riley noticed Kiara trying to carry a small beam by herself. Each of her steps was labored and her choice of heels for footwear wasn’t helping in the effort. Weary from the weight of the beam, Kiara lost her footing and fell to the ground with the beam falling on top of her.

“Kiara!” Riley shouted as she and Drake raced to her side. Drake quickly lifted the beam and tossed it aside with ease.

“Oh, merci beaucoup” Kiara said.

“Are you okay?” Riley asked.

“I am now” Kiara sighed as her eyes roamed Drake’s body. Riley noticed the look of desire in Kiara’s eyes but Drake, as usual was oblivious.

“You shouldn’t carry that all by yourself” Drake scolded her.

“I…uh….you know how it is” she said, finally breaking her gaze and looking nervously at Riley before turning back to Drake. “Penelope said she was taking a five minute break, and that was thirty minutes ago. I didn’t want to keep waiting around.”

“Well, if you’re going to carry a beam, even a small one, at least find someone like me to help you” Drake said.

“Right, I’ll find someone…” she said, looking longingly at him through her lashes, “like you.” Slowly her eyes wandered down his chest again before she finally cleared her throat and stood up. “Thank you for looking out for me, Drake” she said before walking away.

Drake turned back to Riley who was shaking her head and giggling.

“What are you giggling about?”

“ _Thank you for looking out for me, Drake”_ she replied in a sing song voice while playing with her hair. “You totally have an admirer.”

“I hope not.”

Riley looked in the direction Kiara had gone and saw Kiara peeking back at Drake.

“I think she might be checking you out.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing! I don’t like her looking at you like that…but I can’t say I blame her” she said with a grin as her eyes roamed his body again.

“I don’t want to think about this. Let’s just finish this barn. That’s simple. Just move and build.”

“As you wish” she replied with a wink, turning to find another task.

Before long, the sun was getting low in the sky and work was wrapping up with laborers completing the last of the barn. Riley, Drake, Maxwell and Hana had regrouped and stood back to admire their work.

“We did it! And it looks great!” Riley said.

“Not bad for a bunch of nobles” Drake replied.

“That was exhausting but I am glad we did it” Hana said.

Maxwell was standing hunched over with his hands on his knees. “No more. Can’t…saw…another…plank of wood” he breathed out.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Maxwell. If this was a dance set, you’d still be going” Drake huffed.

“I’ve told you before…like a heart, I need a beat to keep going, but all I hear is the angel’s choir. Remember me fondly” he said as he collapsed to the ground and played dead.

Hana’s eyes went wide at the sight of Maxwell’s limp body… “Should we…”

“He’ll be fine” Drake scoffed.

While the friends laughed at Maxwell’s antics, Liam walked over to join them, wiping sweat from his brow with a towel.

“Hello, my lords and ladies” he greeted.

“You managed to escape after all” Drake said.

“Until tomorrow at least. It’s been a long day.”

“It sure has” Riley said. “I can’t wait to get back to a warm bath and bed. Maxwell, we should go” she said, anxious to break away as the jumbled mess of feelings stirred by the interview earlier in the day began to resurface.

Maxwell stirred on the ground and popped to his feet.

“I know a spa nearby where we could unwind” he exclaimed.

“Uh…Maxwell, that’s not what…” Riley started.

“What happened to being on death’s doorstep?” Drake interrupted.

“I caught my second wind.”

“Maxwell…I was talking about going back to the Manor” Riley said.

“I’d love a relaxing spa trip” Hana interjected.

“It would be a nice end to the day” Liam said.

Riley looked around at her friends, clearly out numbered and relented.

“Let’s go!” Maxwell exclaimed leading them all to the limo for the short drive to the spa

\----------------------------------

After checking in with a receptionist at the spa, the guys and girls were shown to their separate dressing rooms. Riley and Hana were both eager to get out of their sweaty work clothes and made quick work of changing and getting wrapped in fluffy white spa towels.

Leaving the dressing room, they stepped into a small private room with a hot pool that had been set up for them with refreshments. They sat down on the edge, dangling their feet in and each grabbed a glass of fruit infused sparkling water.

“Cheers! To a hard days work” Hana toasted.

“Cheers” Riley replied. “Building a barn was so much harder than any manual labor I’ve done before.”

“Definitely different…but I liked it” Hana said. “Its rewarding to work with your hands and be able to see the result of your efforts at the end.”

“Maybe knowing that you find that rewarding will help lead you toward what makes you happy.”

“Maybe…because life is too short to not be happy. Right now though, I’m just happy to be here. Every day at court with my friends feels like a gift. It took almost losing all of you to realize how much this…and all of you, mean to me.”

“I know that feeling very well” Riley replied gazing into the water of the pool, lost in thought.

“Did you hear that?” Hana suddenly asked, bringing Riley back from thought. “That sounded like…Liam’s laugh.”

Riley hesitated at the mention of Liam and stopped to listen as the sound came again. “It does sound like him. It sounds like its coming from the other side of that door” she said, pointing across the room.

“Should we investigate?” Hana asked. Riley looked back down at the water for a moment before turning back to Hana.

“Yeah…yeah, let’s check it out” she said reluctantly.

“Riley…I know this whole thing is hard, but just remember above all else, we are all friends. Let’s just go have fun with our _friends_.”

Hana took Riley’s hand to help her up and pulled her into a quick hug before crossing the room to the door. They opened it a crack and peeked in to see the guys lounging in towels in a spa room twice the size with two hot pools and a third pool across the back. They stepped back and looked at each other.

“The rooms are technically co-ed” Hana said, “we could crash the boys’ side. If you’re up for it…what do you say? Spa day with everybody?”

“We’re all here, there’s no reason we should be separated” Riley replied. With the decision made, the girls burst through the door and giggled as the guys jumped from the commotion.

“Surprise!” they yelled in unison.

“OH! Riley…Hana! Should we…er…cover up more?” Liam asked, anxiously trying to pull his towel tighter around himself.

“I think the ladies will be fine” Drake said.

“Yes, I’ve seen a man in a towel before” Hana replied.

“Me too” Riley said, looking from Drake to Liam before scanning the room. “Wait a second…where’s Maxwell?”

“Hiding. And that was _before_ you all burst in” Drake replied. “Come on out, Maxwell” he shouted.

“Yes, you can’t hide forever” Liam added.

From the far side of the room, the group saw the door open through the steam rising off the pool. With the rush of cool air from the dressing room, the steam cleared and Maxwell came into view standing wrapped in his towel. At the sight of him, Riley and Hana’s eyes went wide and their jaws dropped. Sure, Maxwell was fit, much more sculpted than either of them had ever imagined, but it wasn’t his muscles leaving them in awe.

“Go ahead and laugh if you want. Just don’t tell Bertrand that you saw it” Maxwell said.

Finally regaining composure…Hana stammered, “is that a…a baby hippo?”

“Maxwell!” Riley exclaimed, “that tattoo is the best thing I’ve ever seen!”

“Really?” he asked in surprise.

“Yeah, Nevin…really?” Drake said, raising his eyebrow.

“Yes, _really_! I _love_ it!”

“Aw…heh, now I wish I’d shown it to you sooner!”

Hana excitedly asked Maxwell about the story behind his tattoo. Maxwell lovingly recounted how his mom called him her little hippo when he was a child. 

“I didn’t think this moment could get any better, yet here we are” Riley said. “Go on…”

Maxwell said he had been pudgy till he took up dancing and his dad had been hard on him about it but his mom never made him feel bad. She told him he was just like a hippo…fun-loving but tough and always able to make her smile. When she passed away, he got the tattoo in her honor much to Bertrand’s horror. Bertrand had told him never to let anyone see it, which was why he wouldn’t swim at the beach party or take his shirt off at the barn raising.

“I can trust you guys, right? You won’t tell him you saw it?”

“You have our word, Maxwell” Riley said.

“As fun as discussing Maxwell’s hippo tattoo has been” Drake interjected, “I’m going to take a dip in the cold plunge…Anyone want to join?”

“No thanks. After today, I’m relaxing in the hot tub” Liam said, looking expectantly at Riley before sinking into the water. Drake walked passed in the direction of the cold plunge at the back of the room while Hana and Maxwell both joined Liam. Riley lingered for a moment and after Maxwell gave her a reassuring nod, she turned to join Drake.

When she reached the cold plunge, Drake was standing on the edge staring into the water.

“Trying to summon your courage?” she said.

“You’re really good at sneaking up on people, you know that, Nevin?”

“Well, I mean…I was nice about it. I could have just pushed you in” she teased.

Drake smiled and shook his head, looking back at the water. “This is supposed to be good for you.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Like most things in life, the best thing is sometimes the most painful. Want to do this with me?”

“With you? Absolutely!”

“Really?”

“Can’t let you do it alone. Sometimes the best things are the things you do together” she said, stepping up beside him and taking his hand. Drake looked down at their joined hands and then gazed back into her eyes.

“Together” he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

“Here goes…”

“One…two..”

“Three” they said together as they jumped from the edge and plunged in to the cold water. Riley clung to Drake’s hand as she kicked for the surface and they both came up, gasping.

“That was…”

“Intense?” he said.

“That’s one word for it.”

“Having trouble keeping up with me, Nevin?”

“Me? Never” she said, pulling him close and wrapping her arms around him.

“You’re shivering, let’s get you out of here” he said, pulling her to the edge and helping her out. Riley looked over toward the hot tub and realized they were barely in view of their friends who were enjoying their own relaxation.

“I know what would warm me up…” she said with a seductive smile, pulling him into a passionate kiss.

Drake’s arms came around her body and drew her in so she was pressed flush up against him as his tongue sought entrance which she eagerly granted. Their lips and tongues moved slowly and sensually against each other as desire grew between them. When they finally came up for air, Riley nipped playfully at Drake’s lower lip, eliciting a groan from him.

“You’re full of surprises” he said.

“Good ones, I hope?” she asked, pressing her lips softly to his again.

“You know you can surprise me like that _any_ day…but right now, we should probably…”

“Be sensible and discreet?”

“Unfortunately. And believe me when I say that it’s _very_ unfortunate.”

“Very unfortunate indeed” she said. Turning her back to him and slowly opening her towel, she cast one lustful look over her shoulder as she let the towel drop just before stepping behind the changing screen.

“You’re killing me, Nevin.”

“What’s the matter, Mr. Walker” she said, playfully peeking out. Drake’s impulses took over. He stepped behind the screen and pulled Riley into an urgent, wanton kiss. The feeling of her bare breasts against his chest drove him wild as his lips traced her jawline down toward her neck. With a nip of her ear he whispered, “If we were alone, I’d show you what you do to me.”

Riley ran her hand down his thigh, dangerously close to his throbbing manhood and crashed her lips to his. “I look forward to finding out” she said before turning and wrapping a dry towel around her body. “We should check out the rest of the spa” and with one more quick kiss she stepped out from behind the screen.

“Hey everybody, watch this” Maxwell yelled as Riley and Drake rejoined the group.

Perched on a chair along the edge of the lap pool, he crouched into position to perform a backflip.

“Is that safe?” Hana asked.

“Almost certainly not” Maxwell laughed. With one quick motion, Maxwell jumped in the air, tucked into a flip and landed safely in the pool with a splash.

When he reached the surface, Riley yelled, “I’m next!”

“Step right up, step right up” Maxwell cheered.

Riley climbed the chair, jumped in the air, tucked her feet and performed a perfect flip gracefully into the water.

“Ok, now that was impressive” Drake said.

“Full of surprises” she whispered as she sauntered passed him.

“Very well done, Lady Riley” Liam said.

“Looks like I have finally met my match” Maxwell conceded.

“For the glory of mighty House Beaumont” Riley cheered. 

They all settled into the hot tub enjoying their final minutes of relaxation before the clock chimed, signaling that the spa was closing.

“Looks like our time has come to an end” Liam declared.

“I am so glad we did this” Hana said, hugging Riley, “this was so much fun.”

“Yeah. This wasn’t so bad, as far as our capers go” Drake said, sharing a knowing look with Riley.

“Highest of praise from Drake” Liam joked.

After changing back into their clothes in the dressing rooms, the friends reconvened at the limo and made the trip back to Applewood Manor. Maxwell walked Riley to her room where they were surprised to find Bertrand waiting inside.

“Where have you been?” he demanded.

“Uhh..at the bathhouse? Had to get clean…that’s reasonable, right? Why, is something wrong?” Maxwell stammered.

“Everything! We are conducting an investigation, in case you have forgotten.”

“I haven’t.”

“Good. We’ve got big plans for tomorrow.”

“We do?” Riley asked.

“You found out who the noble lady was that framed Riley?”

“Unfortunately, no. But I thought of another angle. Someone had to take your photo, didn’t they? Perhaps we can discover something by figuring out where the photo of you and Tariq was taken.”

“Great! Let’s go now” Riley said, wanting to avoid her room as long as possible.

“No. The manor’s being patrolled by the royal security team who won’t take kindly to us traipsing around like burglars. We’ll have a better chance if we try in the daylight during tomorrow’s country picnic.”

“Tomorrow it is then” she groaned. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a very action packed chapter but still a few important developments...We meet Justin for the first time. I don’t know about anyone else but even on my first play through I wasn’t a fan of the character and disliked him so in my version of the story, Riley dislikes him too. I also tried to showcase Riley’s friendships with Hana and Maxwell and how she can lean on them with all of her jumbled emotions. Her emotions are complex...it’s not as simple as a divided heart and being on the tour, seeing how adept Liam is at putting on his public face with Madeline makes her question her own sense of reality. Before the scandal she was willing to make sacrifices because he made her believe he loved her but now even that is unclear and even though she didn’t return the feelings its still a lot to process. My girl is just a mess, but she has her reasons, which we will see soon.


	5. Need You Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley can't stand to be alone in her room at Applewood and seeks comfort. More details from her past emerge.
> 
> ***Trigger warnings - talk of domestic violence and rape and miscarriage. Please do not read if these are triggers for you.***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers:  
> ***All characters, general story and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than original scenes, my MCs backstory and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***
> 
> This chapter is all original and came from a very personal place...we finally learn the details of Riley's past, why she's such a mess when it comes to love and battles with anxiety.

_Another shot of whiskey, can’t stop looking at the door  
Wishing you’d come sweeping in the way you did before  
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind  
For me it happens all the time_  
  


Once Bertrand and Maxwell had left Riley for the night, she changed and tried to settle in for bed but once again sleep wouldn’t come. Several times she had heard noise coming from the hallway and gotten up obsessively to check the door lock, just like the night before. Being back in the same room at the Manor was making her feel on edge. Though she knew security had been ramped up, it did little to ease her mind. After her fifth trip to the door, she laid back down and grabbed her phone. It was just before midnight. She opened the message app and started a new message.

**_Hey…I know its late, I’m sorry to bother you. Being in this room is messing with me and I can’t sleep._ **

“What am I doing?” she asked herself, staring at the blinking cursor in the empty “To:” field. She knew without a doubt that if she sent the message to Maxwell or Hana, they would be at her door in the blink of an eye. The problem was, she didn’t want Maxwell or Hana. Her finger was lingering over the “D”, wanting desperately to send it to Drake. Drake knew what that night had really done to her, he knew what it stirred up for her and more importantly, he made her feel safe. Taking a deep breath, she filled in his name and hit send before she could talk herself out of it.

Minutes passed as she stared at the screen anxiously waiting for the bubbles letting her know he was replying, but they never came. Finally, as the screen faded to black, she laid the phone down figuring he was too sound asleep to hear his phone. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling, she grabbed a blanket and a book and moved to the chaise to read and occupy her mind instead. Just as she flipped on the small table lamp, there was another noise from the hall. Convinced it wasn’t her imagination this time, she quickly moved to the door and slowly undid the lock, trying to avoid making a sound. Opening the door a crack, she peered out and jumped back in surprise, letting out a startled shout when a shadowy figure came into view. 

“Nevin, Nevin…calm down, it’s me” Drake said, stepping into the room just as Riley was spinning back to the door with a candlestick in her hand. “Put that down…I don’t need to get any more injuries in this room.”

“Oh, Drake” she said, falling into his arms and letting out a sigh of relief against his chest. “You didn’t answer my text and then I heard a noise and I’ve imagined so many noises already but it sounded so real so I wanted to look but there wasn’t enough light and I couldn’t tell that it was you and I wanted to have the upper hand this time and I…”

“Nevin…breathe” he said, interrupting her rambling stream of word vomit. “I responded to your message. When you didn’t answer, I figured I’d come check on you. The noise was me knocking.”

Riley grabbed her phone and sure enough, there was a message from Drake…“ ** _nightcap_?**” was all it said. 

“Ahh…you did reply” she said looking at the side of the phone. “I forgot I silenced it because of all the news notifications about my statement today.”

“Hell, Nevin…I came to help and all I did was freak you out more…I’m sorry I startled you.”

“Don’t be…I’m glad you’re here. I’m the one who should be sorry for waking you. After I had checked the lock five times and still couldn’t sleep, I just didn’t want to be alone” she said as she continued to pace the room.

“Max or Hana didn’t reply?” Drake asked, moving to the mini bar to pour them each a finger of whiskey.

“I didn’t text them…only you, I only wanted you.”

Drake placed the whiskey on the coffee table in front of the chaise and then moved across the room to where Riley was pacing and biting her finger nails. From behind, he gently wrapped his arms around her to halt her movement.

“Why me?” he whispered.

Riley leaned back against his chest with her eyes closed. The closeness was calming as she worked to slow her breathing to match his. “You make me feel safe” she whispered after a few moments when her heart rate had slowed. Drake slowly turned her around and pulled her tight against his chest, kissing the top of her head.

“I’d never let anything happen to you” he said.

“I know” she sighed, relaxing into his embrace.

Drake stepped back and took Riley’s hand to lead her to the chaise.

“Sit…have a drink with me. We can talk and then when you’re ready for bed, I’ll stay till you fall asleep.”

Riley took the glass of whiskey and curled up close to Drake.

“I really wish Bertrand had thought to request a different room for me” she mused.

“I’m surprised Liam didn’t think of it either” Drake said. “He made sure that I was next door to you so clearly he could have had some influence.”

Riley sat up in surprise. “Liam put you next door to me?”

“Yeah. He said he didn’t trust the guards after what happened last time and your safety is his top priority. I guess he just didn’t think about how being in the same room might affect you. He really cares for you, Nevin.”

“I know he does, Drake but…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “Forget it. I appreciate him at least thinking of having you close. In fairness to both of them, I didn’t go into details of that night or what it stirred up for me with either Liam or Bertrand, so they couldn’t have known.”

“I thought you talked to both of them about what the press printed?”

Riley shrugged. “A little. I told them both the same thing you did…Tariq made an unwelcome advance, you stopped it. Bertrand knows that with what happened at the Coronation and the evidence we have so far that I believe someone wanted it to happen to get those pictures and spin it. Other than that…no. I talked to Bertrand and Maxwell about my name and to a degree confirmed the rest for them but told them it was something I wasn’t willing to discuss. Tariq was the _only_ thing that came up with Liam, probably because he was too busy thinking about himself when we talked.”

“That doesn’t sound like Liam.”

“No” she shook her head, “it surprised me too. I never thought he’d be capable of…” she said, trailing off.

“Of what?”

“He told me that Madeline knows he loves me and doesn’t care. Madeline suggested an arrangement…she gets to be Queen, and I…I get to be the King’s whore behind closed doors.”

“He said that?!?”

“Not in those words, but yes, that was the gist of it…he wanted me to be his mistress.”

Drake abruptly stood up and began pacing back and forth before going to the mini bar and grabbing the whole bottle of whiskey. He sat down and poured another glass and then sat with his head in his hands.

“I can’t believe he’d suggest that!” he growled. “You don’t…you deserve so much more than that.”

“I know I do, which is why I told him no…very firmly. And for me, it just proved how little he knows me. But he never asked about anything else, the accusations of other lovers, my name, my past…it never came up. When he didn’t ask, I just assumed it was because you explained.”

“All I told him about was your name, and how I didn’t believe you were trying to hide anything. Nothing else was my place to tell.”

“Well…that’s really all there is to say. I never felt I had anything to hide, its just not something I go around sharing. I know I could have said more, told him without him asking, but honestly, I didn’t know what else to say…and I got so angry with him when we talked, so I didn’t. I’ve never shared anything like this with Liam, even during the social season, our conversations never got very deep.”

“You can trust him…if you want to tell him. But, you don’t owe _anyone_ an explanation, Nevin.”

“Maybe I didn’t before, but now with all these stories out there for the world to see, I’m going to have to explain at some point. My brother reminded me that most of the stories are someone else’s shame, not mine but…”

Riley reached for the whiskey and poured herself another glass. In one swift motion she downed the double shot before pouring another which she just held in her trembling hand.

“Everything they printed about my past, Drake…it was all true, and it sure as hell feels like my shame and burden to shoulder all over again.”

Drake reached forward, taking the whiskey from her hand and placing it on the table before turning Riley to face him, a mixture of hurt and rage firing in his eyes.

“All of it?”

“Yes” she whispered as tears flowed from her eyes.

Drake pulled her in close and she sobbed against his chest, soaking his shirt as she listened to his heartbeat to keep herself grounded. His hurt and rage weren’t directed at her, they were because of what had been done to her.

“Riley…why didn’t you say anything? After Tariq, I mean. You mentioned it but…you didn’t have to be strong in front of me, not about that.”

“I don’t talk about it. I went to therapy for a while and talked there but other than that…until those stories came out, the only people that knew were my family. Those records were sealed, or at least they were supposed to be. Somehow they found all the pieces but they gave just enough detail to make it seem scandalous. I can see how multiple police reports with both my names could make it look like I had something to hide, but still.”

“They’re vultures, that’s what they do.”

“Well, mission accomplished. Without all the details, the full story, they did nothing but make me look bad. The sad part is…hell, how can I blame them for not having the full story when I even question my recollection of all the details. Sometimes I think I romanticize it…tell myself that he challenged me so that I can look at it and say I rose to the challenge and overcame instead of calling it what it was…he abused me.”

“So all the police reports in the story…you filed those for abuse and he got away with it?”

“No…I didn’t file all of them, other people did, which is why my name on them was inconsistent. After eighteen years of being Emily, some people just couldn’t stop using that name. And he got away with it because every time someone else filed, I refused to press charges…he had laid the groundwork for me to always choose him.”

“In what way?”

“Well, I was young and inexperienced for one…I was 18 when we started dating and had never been in a relationship. He was my first everything. Believe it or not, he was younger than me, 16. I had just had my heartbroken by a _very_ brief fling with one of my brother’s friends and Michael, who was also a friend of my brother’s, was there to pick up the pieces…and man did I fall hard and fast. I was hooked when he asked my brother for permission to date me and swore he’d never hurt me like the other guy did. And at first he didn’t hurt me, not in the conventional way anyway…but he spent the first year breaking me down into someone unrecognizable without me ever even realizing it.”

Riley looked over at Drake, who was watching her intently, at a loss for words and he gave her a reassuring nod to continue.

“It started out as mental and emotional abuse. I thought I loved him, so I let him in, showed him all my weaknesses and he used them against me. Once I was out of it, I looked back and it seemed so obvious. My drive, my ambition, even my intelligence threatened him, so he tried to break it all. I was never a confident person so it wasn’t hard.”

Riley sat up again to take a drink of her whiskey before setting it down and putting her head in her hands. His eyes followed her every move, but he still didn’t speak.

“For the first year he took every opportunity to point out mistakes I made or things I did that made me look and feel stupid. Every insecurity I had about not being good enough, smart enough, pretty enough…he played on it. Then he became demanding of my time and attention and I was eager to please, eager to be loved…he’s used guilt to manipulate me into spending all my time with him. I chose him over my friends, over my family, over school. It drove everyone away so eventually it seemed like he was all I had. Obviously my family wouldn’t abandon me but because of him and my actions when it came to him, there was definitely a wedge. Once I was broken down and _needed_ him, that’s when the physical abuse started.”

Drake put a protective arm around Riley and pulled her close. 

“This feels like déjà vu…you coming to the rescue of the emotionally damaged girl, spilling her guts” she said.

“You can tell me anything, Nevin…as little or as much as you want…I’m here for it.”

“I could be here forever telling you every little thing he did to me…as far as what’s in the tabloids…they got their hands on six of the police reports. Lord knows why they even mentioned the first one, we were both basically just witnesses. About a year into our relationship, we were at his house and Michael’s little sister called the police when his stepfather came home drunk and went after their mom. Michael went into a rage and attacked his stepfather but that got left out because he was a minor. Only reason I can think of to mention that report is because I’m named as “Emily Nevin”. Looking back, even though it wasn’t _our_ incident it should have been a red flag for me.”

“How so?”

“His stepfather had been around for most of his life so…well, let’s just say clearly his treatment of women and anger issues rubbed off on Michael. But I told myself Michael’s rage was protective instinct, fighting for his mother. And the scary part was, unlike his stepfather, Michael didn’t need to be drunk to lash out, it was just worse when he was which thankfully, I didn’t experience until the end of our relationship since he was so young when we started dating. It took a while for his rage to be directed at me, but the time eventually came” Riley sighed.

“You don’t have to keep going, Nevin…I get that it’s hard to talk about.”

“It’s okay…I’m okay. Telling someone I trust will make it easier when I have to explain it to the world” she said, reaching up and pulling his arm around her just a little tighter. “The second report the press mentioned was filed by my mom; I had been dating him for about sixteen months at that point. It was one of those instances I told you about where he essentially forced himself on me but I was too young and naïve to realize that even in a relationship no means no. It wasn’t the first time he had done it but somehow on that day I found the courage to tell him after the fact that I hadn’t wanted it and that he should have respected that. Instead of being understanding he threw me up against a wall screaming at me; saying he could have me whenever he wanted me. When he raised his fist I coward and prepared for the blow but he punched the wall instead and broke a few knuckles. My mom heard it all and called the cops.”

Riley heard Drake whisper _“Holy shit”_ under his breath and nodded in agreement.

“But I stayed with him…told myself that he showed restraint by not hitting me, like that was proof of love or something. The third report was filed a few months later by my friend. I planned a girls night, trying to reconnect with my friends and he got jealous. He showed up at my friend’s apartment and asked me to come outside and talk to him. When I stepped to the window of his truck to talk, he reached out the window and grabbed me and pulled me with such force against the door that I ended up with bruised ribs. His grip was so tight with his fists in the small of my back that I was bruised there too. He was trying to hold me hostage, keep me from going. Once the cops made him leave, I went out with my friends and he obsessively texted me and called me all night, over a hundred calls and texts. When I got home in the early morning hours, he was waiting for me outside my house. I invited him in to try to talk it out but he didn’t want to talk…he forced himself on me and reminded me again and again, the entire time that I was his. Looking back, that should have been the end…”

“But you stayed with him?” Drake asked, with his eyes glistening, fighting back tears over what she endured.

Through her tears that were endlessly falling, she nodded. “I did…for another year and half…through more ‘domestic incidents’, through a pregnancy and the loss of that pregnancy; which broke my heart but left me feeling relieved at the same time…a child wouldn’t have deserved that life. All the proof I needed came on the day that I realized I was miscarrying. We were at his house when the spotting started; cramps and contractions started wracking my body. Oddly enough, I don’t even remember why but he started a fight with me. We screamed at each other for close to an hour before he got in his truck and left me there. That was supposedly his way of calming down but when he came back he was anything but calm. He told me that I was a ‘fucking psycho’ and that he didn’t want me around. I had been laying on his bed curled up in a ball from the pain and he grabbed me and dragged me to his truck to take me home. While we were driving he just kept screaming, calling me every name you can imagine. I fought back which only enraged him more so about 4 miles from my house, he stopped the truck and told me to ‘get the fuck out’. I was too ashamed and embarrassed to call anyone to come get me so despite all the pain I was in, I walked the rest of the way. Days passed before I talked to him again but when he came back and apologized, claiming to be heartbroken over losing our baby…I believed him and forgave him.”

Riley closed her eyes, taking deep measured breaths as she pushed through the anxiety that felt ready to consume her.

“You look at all the toxic things that happened,” she continued, “all the chaos I stayed through and its shocking that what made me finally say ‘enough’ was so insignificant. About a month before what would have been our three-year anniversary, he went away for a weekend with friends without telling me and never contacted me. When I knew he was back I went to talk to him and he sat in a near catatonic state, staring at a wall, not acknowledging a word I said or ever looking at me. I said, ‘I’m done’ and walked out.”

“Christ, Nevin…better to end it on that note than wait for him to do worse.”

“Oh…how I wish that had been the _end_. Over the next couple months, I stupidly fell into the on-again-off-again routine with him. He’d call and say all the right things and we’d go out a couple times and then fight again…one of those times was when I finally saw how much scarier he was with alcohol. We went out and ended up drunk, I was of age at that point, he wasn’t. Afterward, we went back to his place to watch a movie. Halfway through he started touching me and kissing me and I told him no, but it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. I tried to leave but he pinned me down. I knew what was coming so I tried to fight back. I held him off for a while as we screamed at each other but at some point he choked me to shut me up. I was able to pull my leg up and kick him in the chest to get him off me briefly, but he recovered and pinned me down again. That time when he raised his fist I didn’t get as lucky as I had the first time all those years before. He connected with my cheek, right below my eye socket. When I screamed out in pain, he pulled his fist back again but thankfully the second blow did go to the wall and broke his hand. Even with a broken hand though, he could still overpower me and take what he wanted, so he did. _That_ was the first time, out of _all_ the times that I allowed myself to even think ‘I was raped’. For the first time in over 3 years, I called the cops on my own. Charges were filed, a protection order was issued and a year after that, I moved to New York.”

“Nevin…I can’t even…I don’t have words right now. You are so fucking strong.”

“Strong? I don’t know where you see the strength in any of that.”

“You left, you got away.”

“I stayed…I let it happen over and over thinking it was love. I didn’t think I was lovable and here was this guy claiming to love me so I just accepted what he gave and called it love. You know, the night my mom called the cops…after they took the report, I refused to press charges and they left. Instead of realizing ‘Hey, this is toxic and damaging’, we professed our love and he apologized, swore it would never happen again. We talked about how no one else understood what we had and vowed to get married. He actually full-on proposed that night, down on one knee even without a ring, and I said ‘YES’…to a guy that had _just_ raped me and nearly punched me. Who does that? I was a weak, insecure girl and I did that. I did that…” she said, shaking her head.

“The only thing you did was love someone who didn’t deserve it. None of what he did was your fault.”

“Maybe so, but once we solve this set-up mystery, I am going to have to address all of it. I thought I had put it all behind me but instead by coming here and once again chasing some silly notion of love, I allowed myself to be the victim all over” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I can’t believe I keep subjecting you to all my sob stories…I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”

“Exactly what I said before, Nevin…I think you are a hell of a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. People like me, life goes to shit and I put up walls and shut everyone out and live in what I believe you call a ‘perpetual state of grumpy’. But not you…you smile, you find joy, you _give_ joy and love and…hell, now you got me babbling.”

“I guess I’m good at breaking through that perpetual grump to get to the gooey marshmallow center.”

“It’s definitely a strength of yours” he said, noticing her yawn as her eyelids got heavy.

“I love marshmallow” she muttered, drifting closer to sleep. 

“Why don’t we get you in bed, Nevin?” 

With a nod and a yawn, she agreed. Drake gently lifted her in his arms, placed her in bed and tucked her in. 

“Thank you, marshmallow” she sighed as sleep overtook her.

With a kiss on the forehead he whispered, “You can have marshmallow whenever you want” and turned to head to his room, ensuring the door locked tight on his way out.


	6. She Used to Be Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley and her friend's attend the picnic at Applewood and get their first real break in their investigation. Drake and Riley have a disagreement. Hana helps Riley prepare for the upcoming trip to Italy. After an unexpected visit, Riley receives a mysterious note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't deviate too far from canon with some minor exceptions. I changed minor details and attempted to weed out some of the unnecessary dialog.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers.****

_When she’s bruised and gets used by a man who can’t love  
And then she’ll get stuck, And be scared of the life that’s inside her  
Growing stronger each day ‘til it finally reminds her  
To fight just a little, to bring back the fire in her eyes  
That’s been gone, but used to be mine, Used to be mine_

Riley woke the next morning feeling like she was in a daze. Glancing around the room, she saw the blanket and her book laying on the chaise and half-full glasses of whiskey on the coffee table. Seeing the scene, she sighed, recalling that she had bared all to Drake. A feeling of dread overwhelmed her, knowing that all she had shared would be enough to scare anyone away. Initially she had just wanted the company; spilling her guts hadn’t been her intention, but he was so easy to talk to. In the relatively short time she had known him, she had come to trust him implicitly; much faster than she had been able to trust anyone in years.

Even with years of therapy, even with time to heal, she still slipped back to her insecurities sometimes in a moment of weakness. Last night had been one of those moments. And now, she felt it even more. Knowing Drake cared about her wasn’t enough to stop her from thinking that she had possibly just pushed him away. It wasn’t that she regretted telling Drake, she just feared that now, even if they had the chance to be together, he wouldn’t want the baggage that she came with. While the ache in her heart over that thought made her realize just how much she cared about him, she couldn’t wallow in it; there was work to be done on their investigation and she needed all of her strength to focus on that. 

While she cleaned up the glasses and bottle of whiskey, Hana and Maxwell arrived to accompany her to the boutique. The day’s event was a country picnic to serve as a sendoff before the travels of the engagement tour. It also provided the perfect opportunity to investigate the grounds to learn more about the photos of Riley and Tariq.

With a quick scan of the boutique’s racks, they picked out the perfect summer dress for Riley. It was mint green with a high-low hemline and adorned with pink tea roses; it would definitely make an impression but made her hope she wouldn’t stand out too much while they investigated.

“Ready to go?” Maxwell asked once Riley was dressed.

“You know it! I’m ready to go show everyone how much I love Cordonia.”

“Sounds like you’re taking a page out of Justin’s book.”

“I don’t need his book...I have my own” she scoffed.

“Just remember to play nice, Riley. He really is here to help.”

“Don’t worry, Max...I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“You probably don’t have to worry as much about staying on message today. It’s a closed event; no press.”

“Yeah, well...we all know what happened the last time they said that! But at least there won’t be anyone to see us investigating.”

“Not necessarily,” Hana said. “There will still be security at the event.”

“In fact, security will probably be tighter than usual because of what happened at the last manor event” Maxwell said. “We’ll need to avoid them somehow.”

“What about a distraction of some kind?” Riley suggested.

“Say no more, distraction is my middle name.”

“Ok...first, we all know it’s Percival and second...it can’t be you, you’ll be helping investigate.”

“I can create a distraction for you” Hana offered.

“That would be perfect, Hana...you could stage a dance-off with...Madeline!” Riley said.

“But...no...a dance-off is my thing” Maxwell pouted.

“Max, we need to let Hana take this one.”

“There will be other dance-offs Maxwell. I’ll take this one for the team.”

“Fine. As long as you play to win! There is no erasing dance-off defeat, even if it is just for distraction.”

“I’ll do my best!”

“Thank you, Hana. Just make sure you don’t get on Madeline’s bad side because of this. Wait...what am I saying, Madeline doesn’t have a good side. Just...be careful.”

“It will be fine, Riley! I promise.”

With a plan in place, they walked to the picnic grounds together and Maxwell went in search of Bertrand. Riley and Hana approached a table were Madeline was gathered with Kiara and Penelope.

“Lady Riley, Lady Hana, so nice to see you both out and about” Madeline said.

“How are you two enjoying the picnic?” Kiara asked.

“It’s lovely” Hana replied.

“Very” Riley agreed. “Everything looks beautiful.”

“I’m so pleased that you like it” Madeline said. “Penelope...why don’t you go fetch Riley and Hana some lemonade?”

“Me?” Penelope said with a look of surprise.

“Now!” Madeline snapped. Penelope rushed off and quickly returned with the drinks. “Isn’t Penelope so obedient? She’s just like one of her poodles. It may serve her well in finding a match among the more traditional nobles. Oh...Hana, that reminds me. There are two men here I’d like you to meet. They are both quite eligible and titled. If you really work at it, you can catch their interest.”

“Oh...um, thank you Madeline” Hana stammered. “I look forward to meeting them and I appreciate you thinking of me.”

“Of course, my dear. You are a member of my court, after all. And everyone knows how desperate you are to find a match after your engagement last year fell through. If you are devoid of prospects, it would be absolutely embarrassing for me to have you as one of my ladies. So, I’m throwing two eligible men in your path. If you can’t pique the interest of at least one of them, then...”

“Then you’ll send me away?”

“Don’t make it sound so tragic darling. Just do your best to charm them. I’m sure you’ll land at least one.”

Riley was seething and saw the tears threatening in Hana’s eyes. Knowing her friend’s voice would betray her if she tried to speak right away, Riley mustered her composure to step in.

“Madeline, it’s so kind of you to help Hana find a suitor.”

“Yes, Madeline” Hana was able to agree, “you have been so generous to invite me here. My parents and I are grateful.”

“What kind of future queen would I be if I didn’t use my position for those in need?”

“Vraiment, Madeline est trop charitable” Kiara agreed. “She is going to help me get a position within the foreign ministry.”

“Kiara, keep the English to a minimum when speaking with the suitors. Best to keep an air of mystery” Madeline instructed.

“Certainement” Kiara sighed.

Riley noticed Kiara’s dejected look while Madeline sat with a smug smile of satisfaction on her face.

“I thought you wanted a job, not a husband” Riley said to Kiara.

“I do” she shrugged. “But it never hurts to have both.”

“It’s going to be much easier to find a match in Madeline’s court” Penelope chimed in. “I’m not beautiful and smart like Kiara, and I don’t have Hana’s talent or charms, Riley, but at least I will be a lady-in-waiting to the queen.”

Riley shook her head and looked around at the three women in front of her. They were all wonderful in their own way, yet they had been raised that their value was dependent on finding a suitable husband.

“Oh Penelope, don’t underestimate yourself. You have plenty of amazing qualities, like loyalty and kindness. There is more to life than finding a husband.”

It appeared Riley’s sentiment was lost on Penelope, though she seemed to agree, she chose to focus on the fact that at least she would always have her poodles. Kiara rolled her eyes as Madeline stood from the table.

“The men will be here soon” Madeline said. “You may all want to check your reflections. It should be _quite_ the competition.”

Hana excused herself to go get more lemonade while Kiara and Penelope pulled out compacts to primp. As Hana turned to go, Riley caught sight of the tears threatening in her eyes and raced after her.

“Hana? What’s going on?” Riley asked.

“I’m…just nervous. Like Madeline said, she won’t keep me around unless I find a prospect today. And my parents are already suspicious that I’m not focused on the goal.”

“She’s not going to send you away. She can’t…everyone else might think you’re here as part of her court but we both know the real reason is Liam and she wouldn’t dare try to go against him.”

“I hope you’re right. I couldn’t handle having to leave you all again. What if I blow it today?”

“Hana, if it’s really what you want to do, I will help you today. But I meant what I said to all of you back there…you don’t need a man to give your life meaning.”

“I know you’re right. But I still think it’s for the best to at least show some effort. So, you’ll help?”

“Of course.”

Both women picked up a fresh glass of lemonade and returned to the table where Penelope and Kiara were waiting. As they took their seats, King Liam approached the table with two dignified looking men that Riley didn’t recall ever seeing around court before.

“Hello, ladies. Mind if we join you?” Liam asked.

Madeline approached from behind and accepted the invitation on behalf of the table of ladies. Liam bowed to the group and as he lifted his gaze, his eyes found Riley and drank her in from head to toe.

“You look stunning” he stammered.

While it was plainly obvious that his words were directed to Riley, Madeline played it off and thanked him, placing a possessive hand on his arm. Liam quickly recovered and offered compliments to all the ladies. To cut the tension, Madeline interjected with introductions.

“Ladies, this is Lord Neville Vancoeur, future Earl of Cormery Isle” she said, gesturing to the shorter man. His skin was olive in tone and he had dark hair slicked back away from his face. There was nothing about him that was even remotely attractive in the traditional sense but at court, it was clearly his title that mattered most. Riley chuckled to herself when she noticed how much his attire, a brown suit and sweater vest combo, reminded her of Bertrand.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances” Neville said, bowing to the ladies.

Madeline turned her attention to the taller man. At first glance, he appeared slightly younger than Neville. His dark hair fell slightly over his one eye and he was certainly the more attractive of the two… “And this is the heir…”

“Rashad” the man interrupted. “I am Rashad. Countess Madeline and King Liam have told us a lot about you ladies.”

“What _Lord_ Rashad neglected to mention,” Madeline said, sounding annoyed, “is that he is also heir to Duchy Domvallier.” 

“Lords, please meet Lady Hana Lee” Liam said. Despite her lingering anger toward him, Riley appreciated the fact the Liam was looking out for Hana by introducing her first. Hana curtsied to the gentlemen as Liam turned to introduce Kiara and Penelope.

“Bonjour” Kiara said.

Liam turned and gave Riley a longing look and seemed to hesitate before finally introducing her as well.

“Now that introductions have been made, we must excuse ourselves” Madeline said. “Liam and I have to make our rounds.” Madeline pulled Liam close and wrapped her arm tightly around his while shooting one final look of disdain in Riley’s direction. Riley giggled softly; deep down it gave her a modicum of pleasure to know that she could get to Madeline so easily without ever doing a thing.

Once Liam and Madeline were gone, the group fell into conversation. Riley was pleased to see that both men immediately turned their attention to Hana.

“Lady Hana, Countess Madeline neglected to tell me how positively radiant you are” Lord Neville said.

“Hana is a lot more than beautiful,” Riley interjected. “She is also kind, funny and an amazing baker.”

“That’s so kind of you to say, Riley” Hana said.

“That is quite the endorsement, Lady Hana. Do you have any other references?” Rashad asked.

“References?” Kiara asked in surprise.

“A wife isn’t unlike an employee or business partner” he explained. “It’s important to hear from those who know the candidate to ensure a good fit.”

“Indeed,” Neville agreed. “Reputation is _everything_ at court. It is a pleasure to encounter a lady with such a good one.”

“While I’m not sure I agree with the analogy, Hana does have an excellent reputation and it is well deserved” Riley said.

“You should meet my poodles! Dogs are the best references…they have a sense about people” Penelope eagerly exclaimed.

The two men exchanged a confused looked.

“That must be…a joke?” Rashad said.

Penelope’s face flushed with embarrassment… “Er…yeah. Just a funny, silly joke.”

“Lady Kiara,” Rashad said, turning away from Penelope, “I understand you plan to work in the foreign ministry? I admire your ambition.”

“Oui, Monsiuer Rashad. Ce strait un saint-grail pour moi.”

“I’m sorry…um…I don’t speak French” he replied. Desperate to impress, Kiara tried another language but the two men stood dumbfounded, shaking their heads. Riley used the opportunity to turn the attention back to Hana, praising her ability to master anything she puts her mind to. They eagerly praised Hana, who not surprisingly remained humble under the spotlight.

“You’re too humble, Hana” Riley said. “You have succeeded here because you prepared.”

“Preparation is the soul of success” Rashad mused.

“The court certainly is dog-eat-dog. It is most impressive for anyone to survive with their character intact” Neville said. Poor Penelope looked horrified at Neville’s idiom, taking it to be literal and further embarrassing herself.

“Maybe we should keep the conversation _simple_ for Lady Penelope’s sake” Rashad said.

Penelope was mortified and looked on the verge of tears. Riley came to the rescue once again by getting the men to talk about themselves.

“So, Lord Rashad, what do you do for the ole’ nine to five?”

“Please, just Rashad. I am a partner at Sloan Enterprises, where I primarily handle legal matters.”

Riley was intrigued, though she had never gotten to go back to law school, anything relating to legal matters fascinated her but before she could pepper him with more questions, Kiara jumped into the conversation.

“Un entrepreneur?” she asked, unable to give up on the French. Thankfully, it was easy enough for Rashad to understand and he immediately began to explain his business and praise his partner as the visionary behind it.

“If your partner is the brains, that must make _you_ the looks” Penelope said in an awkward attempt to flirt.

“I am sure you intended that as flattery, but I contribute far more to the business than my looks” Rashad replied.

Unable to endure any more embarrassment, Penelope politely excused herself and headed toward the refreshments. Hana engaged in conversation with Rashad about his hesitance to mention his title when Madeline had introduced them. Rashad expressed his desire to allow his accomplishments to speak for themselves rather than being defined by his lineage.

While Hana was engrossed with Rashad, Riley took the time to learn more about Neville, who shared that he helps his father manage the business affairs of Cormery Isle and his family’s estate. He explained that it was quite demanding and often kept him from court which explained why Riley didn’t recall meeting him during the social season. He would however be joining the group for the entirety of the engagement tour. While she found him to be pretentious and somewhat boring, knowing the pressure that was on Hana, Riley was pleased when he expressed his desire to spend more time with Lady Lee. It was also a relief that she had been so successful in putting Hana in the spotlight, that thankfully neither man seemed at all interested in her. Of course, it wasn’t lost on her that many at court would assume that she was still tied to Liam. 

Just as Rashad had turned the conversation back to the oh-so-romantic notion of a partner being like a good assistant, Madeline interrupted to whisk the men away for more introductions.

“I don’t think that went very well for me” Penelope said, returning once the men were gone.

“There will be other suitors, Penelope” Kiara assured her.

“Riley, what did you think of the guys?” Hana asked.

“Honestly, Hana” she said, leaning in and dropping her voice to a whisper, “I thought they were way too boring for you.”

Hana nodded thoughtfully… “I actually agree. They were both so…businesslike. Shouldn’t getting married be about romance and adventure and…love?”

“That’s exactly what it should be about, Hana. And I have full faith that you will find that.” Over Hana’s shoulder, Riley noticed Drake approaching them and absentmindedly said, “maybe we both will.”

“Hey, Nevin. Hana.” Drake said as he reached them. “Maxwell, ah, caught me up on the plan. Now might be a good time…”

“Oh, right!” Hana exclaimed. “I‘ll be right back. I just remembered something I really must speak to Madeline about” she said with a wink as she headed off toward the Royal tent.

“Drake, I’m surprised to see you here” Kiara interjected.

“Me, too. But I try to support Liam when I can.”

“You’ve always been such a good friend to him. It’s part of why I have always liked you” she replied. “It’s such a shame what happened to your sister.”

Riley found it odd that Kiara would randomly bring up Savannah but the jealous monster inside was focused on shutting down Kiara’s sorry attempt at flirting.

“I didn’t realize you’ve _‘always liked Drake’_ , Kiara. Could have fooled me” Riley said.

“Not all of us wear our hearts on our sleeves” Kiara retorted.

Before Riley could go completely on the defensive, Drake turned the focus to where it should have been in the first place…Savannah. 

“Back up a second,” he said, “I didn’t know that you really knew Savannah.”

“We didn’t spend much time together besides lessons but she was always so friendly. And she was coming along so well with her French, and I was surpri…”

“French lessons?” Drake exclaimed. “Savannah didn’t speak French.”

“I was teaching her, before…”

Kiara’s voice was suddenly drowned out by the sound of loud music coming from across the field. Riley turned and saw a crowd of people gathering around Madeline and Hana. Over the crowd and the music, they heard Hana issue the dance-off challenge. Madeline stood stunned, not knowing what to say while Hana turned to wink at Riley before moving into her dance.

Drake in the meantime had moved closer to Kiara, trying to hear her over all the commotion. Riley stepped forward and whispered in his ear, “psst…that’s our cue.”

Drake looked at her with pleading eyes. “Wait…one second, please, I need to talk to Kiara…”

“Drake, there’s no time, we have to go while no one is looking!” Drake stood frozen, unable to tear himself away, so Riley grabbed his arm and started dragging him toward the manor. Halfway through the field she noticed a security guard and took Drake’s hand and started cuddling up against him to make it seem like they were a couple sneaking away, but she noticed he was tense. Once they were passed the guard, Drake wrenched his arm away and abruptly stopped before Riley realized. She quickly spun around and saw him just standing there staring at her.

“Drake, what are you doing?”

“What was that, Nevin? Kiara knew something! I thought you knew what finding Savannah means to me.”

Realizing that she had come across selfish and uncaring, Riley walked back to him and placed her hand on his cheek.

“Drake…I am so sorry. I do, I do know…and I hope you know that I care and want to help you.”

“Then why the hell would you drag me away. I just need to talk to her, find out what she knows.”

“I know and we will…I swear, I wasn’t trying to be selfish but this might be our only shot at looking around the manor for clues. We leave here tomorrow. Kiara will be with us for the rest of the tour, we will talk to her, I promise.”

Drake relented, knowing Riley had a valid point but his anger and irritation bubbled just under the surface. As they reached the front of the manor, Maxwell came around the corner.

“Where’s Bertrand?” Riley asked when they reached him.

“I sent him up to your room to stand in for you. I relayed everything that happened, so he’ll know where to go.”

“ _Bertrand_ is going to stand in for me?”

“Little known fact, before he was Duke Ramsford, Bertrand was an accomplished human statue.”

“What?”

“Kidding, Ri! But he will do almost anything to clear your name.”

“Alright Nevin, since this took priority, where do you think we should start?”

Riley tried to ignore the clear annoyance in Drake’s voice. 

“Maybe we should try to line up the shot…see if we can figure out where the picture was taken from.”

Drake pulled a camera from his pocket and held it up to his eye, aiming it at Riley’s bedroom window. He snapped a photo and then compared the screen to a copy of the tabloid picture.

“This isn’t it” he said.

“Well, it looks like Bertrand is ready. Maybe having him in the frame will help line it up.”

“I still think we need to move. This angle doesn’t look right. I think we should be standing over there to get the right view” Drake said pointing to a garden closer to the manor. When they reached the garden, Drake attempted to line up the shot again while Riley stood staring up.

“I can see right into my bedroom from here!” she exclaimed. “Drake, let me see the camera, please.” Riley snapped another photo for comparison and sighed when they didn’t match up.

“This is too low. Even someone seven feet tall couldn’t have taken this from here.”

Drake thoughtfully looked up… “they must have climbed the tree!”

“I guess that means _I’m_ climbing a tree” Riley said.

“Nevin…no…come on, let Max or I…”

Before Drake could stop her, Riley hung the camera around her neck, slipped off her shoes and jumped up to grab a hold of the lowest branch. With one swift move, she gracefully threw her leg up and over. She seemed to move through the lower branches with ease but halfway up, she grabbed a branch with loose bark and almost lost her grip. Recovering quickly, she steadied herself and continued the climb while Maxwell cheered her on from below.

“Go Spider-Riley!”

Drake stood with a look of worry on his face, at the ready to spring into action and catch her should she fall. When she reached the branch on the level with her window, she laid across it and brought the camera to her eye. With the snap of just one picture, she realized she had found the spot.

“It’s a perfect match” she yelled down. “This is really close to the manor.”

“Whoever did it must have been _at_ the party” Drake yelled back.

“More than that…it means whoever did it must have been waiting around for the right shot. I mean, I am literally up a tree. Whoever took those pictures wasn’t just standing around and happened to see…they knew Tariq would be there and they were waiting.”

“Well, if they knew he’d be there, then it was definitely a set-up and the photographer was in on it” Drake said. “And whoever hired the photographer must have known the manor pretty well to know about the view from this spot.”

Riley looked back at the window for a moment and then yelled back, “Maxwell, didn’t you say a reporter had snuck into the party that night?”

“Yeah, a bold move considering it was a private event.”

“We need to confirm if the reporter is the same one who climbed the tree and took the photo.”

“Right, I mean, that’s the only logical explanation. I’ll go get Bertrand and meet you back here.”

“Can’t you just text him?”

“Think, Riley. What if they’re monitoring the airwaves?”

Riley laughed and shook her head as Maxwell raced off. Lost in thought as she stared at the window; memories of that night came flooding back.

“You coming down, Nevin?” Drake yelled, breaking her from thought.

“Yeah…I was just thinking about how you came to my rescue that night.”

“I think I remember you coming to _my_ rescue.”

“Maybe a little” she said as she began making her way down the tree. “I just…I can’t thank you enough.”

“It was nothing, Nevin. Really.”

“It wasn’t nothing. Not to me” she said, unable to take her eyes off of him.

“Well…uh…get down from there, before you hurt yourself.”

Just as Riley reached the lower branches, she noticed something tangled amongst the twigs and leaves. Reaching out to grab it, she yanked hard enough to untangle it as she dropped to the ground. Maxwell returned with Bertrand a moment later to find Riley examining the item in her hand.

“What is that, Ri?”

“I might have found something. Look” she said, holding out her find.

Drake looked down and in Riley’s hand was a lanyard with a plastic badge.

“Mansingh?” he said.

“It’s the company they used for security at the party. Super high-tech” Maxwell said. “Turn it over!”

Riley turned it in her hand but the other side was caked with dirt. Maxwell grabbed the badge and used his sleeve to wipe away the dirt.

“Maxwell, you’re making a mess. What would father say?” Bertrand scolded.

“The great Barthelemy Beaumont always had a lot to say about me.”

“In this case, I think he’d at least be pleased that we’re making progress towards clearing the house name” Riley said.

“Perhaps” Bertrand relented.

With the dirt cleared away, they were able to make out a photograph of a woman. Smirking back at them, she had long, dark hair and wore a professional looking business suit.

“That must be the reporter!” Bertrand exclaimed. “How in the world did she get her hands on a Mansingh security badge?”

“Clearly she must have had help from the inside” Riley declared. “With all these pieces, its obvious that there was someone in court orchestrating the whole thing. Tariq coming to my room, knowing about the view from the tree and now getting security clearance to a private party.”

“Whoever hired her thought of everything…except for the security guards…the badge got her access to the grounds, but when she was caught taking pictures at a closed event…” Drake said.

“Her ruse was uncovered and she was ejected” Bertrand finished.

“She could have lost the badge in the branches when she was caught or she tried to toss it away so no one would discover the plot and how deep it goes” Drake concluded. “Does it say who she is?”

“There is something written beneath her picture” Riley said, “but it’s damaged…I can’t read it.”

“At least we have a real clue” Bertrand said. “We’ll investigate further. Good work. With the picnic ending, we should get packed for our departure on the international part of the engagement tour tomorrow.”

Bertrand gestured to Maxwell and they began to walk back to the Manor. When Riley went to follow, Drake placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to hold her back.

“Wait, do you have a minute, Nevin? I just thought of something important” he said, still seeming aloof and tense.

“I always have time for you” she said with a smile. “What is it?”

“I was just thinking, Nevin…this isn’t the first set of photos someone has tried to turn against you.”

“You mean the ones from the bachelor party you mentioned in Lythikos? The ones you and Bastien kept from going to print?”

“Yeah. I don’t think it’s a coincidence either.”

“Did you ever find out who did it?”

“I have hunches, but nothing conclusive.”

“I forgot to tell you, when we arrived, a maid from the manor revealed that a disguised noble lady told her to pull a prank on Tariq the night the pictures were taken. That’s how he ended up thinking I was in _his_ room.”

“Hmmm…there might be a connection between the noble lady, the bachelor photos and this photographer. Either way, this conspiracy goes deeper than we thought. Just…be careful, Nevin.”

“I will, Drake” she said, before he turned to go without another word.

\-----------------------------------------------

After Riley and Drake parted, he went off in search of Liam and Riley headed into the manor to pack. On her way to her room she ran into Hana in the hall.

“Hana! How was the rest of the picnic?”

“Oh it was fine” she said. “A bunch of pretentious men and an agitated Madeline. I am more interested in how _your_ afternoon was!”

“It was productive. We found a lead on the photographer. We were able to determine the picture was taken from the tree outside my window and I found a badge in the branches, so we have a photo of her.”

“That’s great! I just know you are going to figure this out soon, Riley.”

“Thanks, Hana. Are you headed off to pack?”

“No, I was actually looking for you. I want to go to the conservatory and I was hoping you would join me.”

“Oh, I was there the last time we were here. Just briefly, talking with Liam in one of Maxwell’s not so subtly orchestrated attempts to get us alone time. It was beautiful.”

“Yes, it is. And they have this flower that only blossoms at night during one season, which just happens to be now. I’ve always wanted to see it so the timing of being here is perfect. The sun is about to set and I want to be there when it blooms. And, well…this is embarrassing, but…I’m a little afraid of sneaking around by myself in the dark. I know you’re busy, but would you be up for going?”

“I really should be preparing for the tour…” Riley said.

“If it helps, I can teach you some Italian while we’re looking at the flowers. It will come in handy for the dinner with the Italian statesman tomorrow. I am sure he’d be impressed if you greeted him in his mother tongue. I could even help you make a bouquet to give him.”

“Sounds like the perfect preparation. It won’t take me long to pack so I guess I have time. Let’s go.”

Riley and Hana left the manor and crossed the estate’s grounds to the conservatory. It was warm inside in contrast to the cool evening outdoors and the air was fragrant with the perfume of hundreds of different flowers. Hana was intoxicated by the smell of the lilacs and jasmine that stood out among the rest. Both women strolled the pathways, stopping occasionally to bury their noses in bundles of flowers. At the end of the pathway in front of the fountain, Hana came to a stop at a plant with a single, unopened bud.

“Is this it?” Riley asked.

“I know it doesn’t look like much now, but I promise it will be _spectacular_.”

“I didn’t realize you had such a passion for flowers, Hana.”

“Who doesn’t like flowers?” she exclaimed. “When I was younger, I spent most of my time at home with a teacher or a book. I liked reading about flowers. They’re so romantic. Did you know that in Victorian society, people communicated with them?”

“I had heard that before. I remember a book in the library at college, I think it was called _The Language of Flowers._ ”

“Yes! That was my favorite. Every flower has a meaning, so when a lord gave a lady a bouquet, it was as if he were writing her a poem.”

“That is definitely romantic.”

“It wasn’t just used for romance, though. Flowers could also indicate friendship, scorn, rivalry…anything, really. Let’s make a bouquet for tomorrow that sends the perfect message to the statesman.”

“Are we allowed to pick these flowers?”

“Of course! As long as we don’t take the really rare ones.”

“Okay. What about these?” Riley asked pointing to a plant where about two dozen small, blue flowers hung delicately on a drooping stem.

“Bluebells are for humility” Hana explained. “A party guest might have given those to the host as a subtle insult.”

“Okay, then!” Riley exclaimed. “Maybe not a good gift…moving on.”

Riley walked over to an assortment of various rose bushes and lifted the petals of a delicate white rose to her nose. “What about this?” she asked.

“Roses have many meanings, depending on the color. White is for unity and purity.”

“Unity could work for our purpose.”

Hana snipped off six long stem white roses, careful to avoid the thorns. Once they were gathered, she approached another bush with large, lush globes of blue and violet petals. “These are my favorite” she exclaimed. “Hydrangeas are for heartfelt gratitude.”

“Gratitude for the hospitality, and unity for Italy and Cordonia. That sounds pretty good, right?”

“Perfect” Hana replied as she added some of the hydrangea to the bouquet. With the addition of some greens to fill it out, Hana finished off the bouquet with a blue ribbon and presented it to Riley.

“It’s beautiful!”

“And sure to impress the Italian statesman tomorrow. Just make sure to keep it in water until you leave for dinner.”

All daylight had completely faded and stars were twinkling over the conservatory. Finished with the bouquet, Hana and Riley returned to the rare flower to await it’s blooming. While they waited, Hana taught Riley some basic Italian phrases. By the time they were finished, Riley knew to address the statesman as signore, as well as how to say good evening and thank you.

“Seriously, Hana…is there anything you’re not good at? Any of those men from today would be lucky to have you, though, you didn’t seem too interested.”

“I wasn’t…they aren’t exactly what I am looking for. My parents gave me a list of requirements for a suitor…rank or station, and how much money his family has are their priorities. I know it’s just because they want what’s best for me.”

“They don’t seem too concerned with what _you_ want though.”

“Maybe right now that’s for the best. I’m honestly not sure what I want.”

“I know how you feel.”

“I know you felt divided during the social season…how are you doing now?”

“Umm…honestly?”

“Yes, Riley. You can tell me anything.”

“I feel less divided…the night of the Coronation, as awful as it was, answered a lot of questions for me. But, I don’t want to get myself into any more trouble while I find out who set me up. I have to focus on clearing my name. My love life, or lack thereof, will have to wait.”

“We will figure it out, Riley.”

“Thanks, Hana. I hope you’re right.”

Riley gave Hana a big hug and a moment later, they noticed the flower they had been waiting on was about to bloom. Slowly, the petals unfurled one-by-one, mesmerizing them both. When they were all open, the lily-white flower caught and reflected the moonlight, giving it the appearance of glowing in the growing darkness.

“You were right, Hana. It really is spectacular.”

“I am so glad you came with me.”

“Me too…I needed this.”

After a final moment to admire the flower, the ladies returned to the manor, knowing they had an early morning to catch the train. Riley returned to her room to pack and was determined not to let her paranoia get the best of her again. While she moved about the room putting her things in her trunks she felt much calmer. It was a fleeting feeling, however, when there was a knock on her door, causing her to jump. Realizing it was probably Drake, coming to check on her again, she opened the door cautiously and was surprised to find Liam on the other side.

“Good evening, Riley.”

“Liam, what are you doing here?”

“I snuck away. I wanted to see you.”

“You shouldn’t be here” she said, not trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. She returned back to her packing as Liam followed her in and closed the door.

“I know…I know. I should be staying away. If I put you in danger by coming here tonight…if anyone saw. I just…”

“What?”

“This is going to sound ridiculous, but I just had to see for myself that you were safe. The last time you stayed here…”

“I am well aware of what happened the last time I stayed here.”

“Knowing I was in the same building and I couldn’t be there for you then…I had to see for myself that you were well now.”

“I’m fine” she said dismissively. “I certainly wish I was in a different room but it has been comforting to know that Drake is next door. Thank you for that by the way.”

“Yes…yes, of course” Liam said, looking down. “I…I wish it had been me, but I am grateful that Drake was there…then and now. Now that I know you’re okay, I should be off before I put you in more danger.”

Liam approached and took Riley’s face gently, in his hands. Riley reached up and pulled his hands down, giving them a gentle squeeze and shaking her head. The pain of the rejection was clear on Liam’s face.

Riley returned to the door and opened it… “Thank you for checking on me” she said, making it clear he should go.

“Of course, Riley. Good night.”

“Good night.”

When Liam was gone, Riley finished sorting the last of her clothes and changed to crawl into bed. As she reached to turn out the light, she noticed an envelope on the ground in front of her door. Realizing it wasn’t there before and that someone must have slipped it under her door, she began to feel the panic rise. She couldn’t help but wonder if someone had in fact seen Liam in her room and sent her another threat. With trembling hands, she retrieved the envelope and sat on the bed, pulling out a small slip of paper with a short note…

_“If you want to root out your enemies, meet me in the boutique car of the train tomorrow at 5 PM on the dot. Alone! – O”_

While she should have been relieved that it wasn’t a threat, she felt anything but relief as she fell into a restless sleep alone in that awful room, worrying that Drake was still mad at her and wondering who the hell “ _O_ ” was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, aside from finding the reporter's badge, this chapter felt like mostly filler. If you're not romancing Hana, the conservatory scene feels unnecessary but I kept it in as a means of continuing to build their friendship, ensure Riley knew some Italian phrases and honestly, this felt too short without it. I also deviated a little from canon having Drake get upset with Riley for dragging him away from Kiara. Any time I played through, I thought PB missed the mark on it because with Drake's personality and his desire to find his sister, I couldn't imagine that he'd have almost no reaction...plus burgeoning relationships are never without at least a little conflict. I also always found it odd that Drake and Maxwell were just content to let her climb the tree without a word so in my head canon, Drake at least tries to insist that one of them do it, but my headstrong, capable girl still does it herself.


	7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Engagement party is bound for Italy and Riley comes face to face with the mysterious writer of the letter left for her at Applewood. A state dinner provides her the opportunity to impress a foreign diplomat and root out some expected and some surrprising truths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***
> 
> This chapter is a bit long...it largely follows canon with some added drama and changes/additions to dialog. This chapter felt choppy to me on my play throughs of the game so some changes were made in an effort to smooth the flow of the action and the conversations.

_I have spoke with the tongue of angels, I have held the hand of a devil  
It was warm in the night, I was cold as a stone  
But I still haven’t found, What I’m looking for  
  
_

Riley sat in her train car anxiously watching the clock. The Royal Court had boarded the train just after sunrise and now it was barreling through the countryside bound for Italy. In a few hours, they’d arrive and have to immediately depart for the state dinner. For now though, it was nothing but down time...too much down time and nothing to do but think and worry; alone. Riley had been given a private train car while all of her friends had to share. Much to Drake’s chagrin, he was sharing a room with Maxwell while Hana would be with Penelope. Riley was sure her private quarters were Liam’s doing and found herself annoyed by the obvious favoritism when all she wanted to do was keep her head down and clear her name. It had, after all, been Liam that said it couldn’t appear that they had any ties, yet despite her protests, he couldn’t stop himself. Sooner or later, she knew she’d have to talk to him but currently her thoughts were occupied by the note she had received and it’s mysterious sender...O.

Despite the letter instructing her to come alone, she had filled in Maxwell and Bertrand when they were all settled in and they insisted on accompanying her. With the letter disturbing her sleep the previous night, after lunch Riley decided to lay down. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, lulled by the motion of the train. Thankfully the nap occupied the rest of her afternoon and she was woken from her slumber by Maxwell pounding on her door. When she slid the door open, he stood in the hall anxiously stress dancing to music only he could hear.

“Come on, Ri...time to go.”

“We’re not going anywhere till you calm down...I can’t handle your stress; it makes me stressed.”

“Ok, ok...I’m calm” he said, still bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Maxwell, compose yourself!” Bertrand’s voice boomed from behind him. “It’s nearly 5, we must go now if we’re to be on time.”

Maxwell froze at his brother’s command.

“See!” Riley said. “Let’s go!”

They moved through the train cars trying to look inconspicuous and not draw the attention of other passengers.

“Ok,” Maxwell said, “when we get to the boutique, we’ll go in and sweep the place.”

“No! It said to come alone, Maxwell. You’re not coming in.”

“Riley, it could be a trap.”

“Or a genuine offer to help. One we could desperately use” Bertrand said.

“So we’re agreed? You’ll both wait out here?” Riley asked as they reached the boutique.

“Yes, but if anything’s amiss, just shout for us” Bertrand said.

“And we’ll bust in there, fists blazing” Maxwell added.

“Maxwell! No fists!”

“Ok...ok! It’s 4:59, get in there!”

“Thanks, alright...here we go.”

Riley cautiously stepped into the boutique car. The room was quiet except for the rumbling echo of the train below her feet. From what she could tell at first glance, the room was empty.

“Hello? Umm...I’m here” Riley tentatively called out.

Behind her, from a dressing room she swore she had checked, she heard the click of the door handle and it began to open slowly. Riley nervously stepped back, not taking her eyes off the door, unconsciously balling her fists.

“I should have known it would be too much to ask for you to arrive promptly, Riley.”

“Olivia!” Riley gasped with her fists unfurling and her hand going to her heart. “I was here on time!”

“If you’re early, you’re on time; if you’re on time, you’re late!”

“Same old Olivia! Why all the subterfuge? You could’ve just text me!”

“Where’s the fun in that? I would have missed out on your little fists thinking you could take me on. Besides, I need to at least make some attempts at secrecy. I don’t want the wrong people to see us talking together for too long. The less our enemies know, the better.”

Riley stood frozen for a moment, mentally going through her steps to calm her anxiety now that she knew there was no threat.

“Are you going to say anything or just stand there looking like someone who found their lost puppy?” Olivia snapped.

“I...I’m just happy to see you. I didn’t think you’d return to court after your blackmailing.”

“I’m not one to let something like that go. Since the Coronation, I’ve been laying low and conducting my own investigation into the mysterious blackmailer. I called you here because the time has come for us to work together and share our information.”

“Like a conspiracy busting tag-team!” Riley exclaimed.

“Don’t get too excited” Olivia said dryly.

“How can I not? We’ll be able to strike at this person together. They’ll never be able to stop us.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for...just without all the excitement.”

“I’ll try to tone it down.”

“At least that’s a start. I was able to extract information from the messenger who delivered the blackmail letter to me. I traced through it and discovered that the letter went through at least six different middle-men before it reached me.”

“Holy shit! That’s...elaborate! I found something too. A maid at Applewood manor directed Tariq to my room as part of some noble lady’s ‘prank’.”

“It has to be a network, all connected to the noble who sent the letters at the palace. There are layers of duplicity at play here, but it all points to one of the ladies. Which is why I’m rejoining the court for the international trip. I want to be here to find the culprit.”

“Is it safe for you to do that?” Riley asked.

“I’m a Nevrakis” Olivia scoffed. “We’re not known for ‘safe’. We’re known for crushing our enemies.”

“Remind me never to get on your bad side!”

“Too late! You’re just far enough down the list not to matter...for now.”

“Ok, then” Riley said wringing her hands. “Anyway...aren’t you worried the blackmailer will expose your family history if you’re here?”

“Whoever did this knows more about my parents than I do. Part of me wants answers. But my family name is more than my parents’ actions. I will find who did this and punish them. Besides...I’m no longer a threat, Liam made his choice...they’d have no reason to expose anything now. And if they do, it could allow us to catch them in the act.”

“But...if it was Madeline, or someone connected to her, she might not see it that way. I was ‘exposed’, my name is in the mud so _I’m_ not a threat...but if she thinks for one second you’re here for Liam...”

“Then I’ll crush her! But it won’t be an issue, I have no interest in pursuing a man that still makes puppy dog eyes at you.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “I’m here to clear my name. That’s been my sole focus since I got back and I told Liam that.”

“Based on his visit last night, I’d say clearly you’ve been _very_ convincing” Olivia scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Riley opened her mouth to protest when there was a knock at the door. “Riley! Say something or else I’m bringing the hurricane fists” Maxwell shouted.

Olivia looked at the door before turning her icy glare on Riley. “Clearly, ‘alone’ was too difficult for you to understand.”

Riley looked sheepishly at Olivia, “uhhh…yeah, sorry. It’s pretty hard to separate us” she said. “Maxwell, I’m fine!” she shouted back to him.

“Okay! Consider these fists holstered…for now” he replied. Riley and Olivia could hear Maxwell and Bertrand continuing to bicker outside the door.

“Maxwell and Bertrand may consider you their own, but you never know if you can really trust them” Olivia said.

“I do trust them…mostly” Riley said. “Drake and I did find a suspicious envelope of cash in their study.”

“Let me guess, they didn’t bother to explain it to you.”

“Well, no…but I never thought I had reason to doubt their actions. They’ve always stood by me.”

“So far” Olivia mused, turning her attention to the gowns on the rack. “Do you know what your wearing to the dinner?”

“Uhh…clothes.”

“Still as hopeless as ever. You’re lucky I’m actually trying to help you this time. I wouldn’t want you to get lost among all these couture gowns.”

After sorting through and pushing aside countless dresses, Olivia stopped and pulled a red gown from the rack.

“You’ll need the right one if you want to make a good impression on this tour” she said, presenting the dress to Riley. “And the Italian statesman you’ll meet today loves red.”

“But…I thought red was your color?”

“After everything that’s happened…we can share it.”

Riley stood in awe, stammering out something that resembled a ‘thank you’.

“You can take your jaw off the floor anytime.”

“It’s touching, that’s all.”

“Yeah, yeah…I’m just one freaking bright ray of sunshine. Just try it on before I change my mind.”

Riley took the dress and stepped into a changing room. The light-weight, billowing gown was candy apple-red and shimmered in the light. There were elegant cutouts down the sides with criss-crossed lacing like a corset and the neckline had a sheer modesty panel with delicate strips of the glittery fabric that almost resembled flames rising toward her collarbone. It was a perfect fit. Riley stepped out of the changing room and did a twirl for Olivia.

“I’m not saying you wear red _better_ than me, but you wear it well.”

“Holy shit, is this _Attack of the Body Snatchers_? Who are you and what did you do with the real Olivia?”

“Don’t make me reveal where I hide my dagger…no one would ever notice the blood on that red dress” Olivia warned.

“Duly noted! Thank you, Olivia.”

“No thanks necessary. Now go…I’ll find you when I have more information to share.”

“So…does this mean we’re finally friends?”

“No!”

“You sure? Not even a _little_?”

“We have a mutual enemy.”

“I’ll take it! That’s a start!”

“Go!” Olivia exclaimed, pointing aggressively at the door.

Olivia ducked back into a changing room as Riley slid the door open. Bertrand and Maxwell were waiting anxiously on the other side.

“Thank god you’re back. I was about to bust that door down” Maxwell said.

“And why are you suddenly dressed up?” Bertrand exclaimed.

“My secret informant was none other than Olivia. She’s been running her own investigation into who blackmailed her. She thinks we might be after the same person and wanted to share some information. The dress was her recommendation for the dinner, she said the Italian statesman will like it.”

“That’s…unexpected” Maxwell said.

“I’ll take any ally we can get, even one as hostile as Lady Olivia” Bertrand said.

“Maybe it’ll be good to have her on our side for a change.”

“Especially if she recommends dresses.”

“My thoughts exactly” Riley said. “We should head back to our rooms…I still need shoes, hair and make-up.”

“Better make it quick” Maxwell said as they all noticed the train coming to a stop. “We’ve pulled into the station which means it’s time for dinner.”

“And impressing foreign dignitaries to demonstrate Lady Riley’s grace and poise to the world” Bertrand said as they arrived at Riley’s door.

“I’ll meet you back here in five gentlemen. Let the Italian adventure begin!”

\------------------------------------------------

Riley’s five minutes turned out closer to ten to get her hair just right. Thankfully, Maxwell and Bertrand weren’t on time either. They regrouped and made their way to the limo where they found Justin waiting, holding the door for the them.

“What’s he doing here?” Riley asked nodding toward Justin who was still outside the car talking to the driver.

“It is imperative that you charm our Italian hosts tonight, Riley.”

“And the press. They love lurking around the edges of these events” Justin stated as he climbed in to take his seat.

“I think I can handle smiling and waving as I enter a restaurant.”

“It will be more than that. And don’t think you’re safe once inside. The predators never stop watching.”

“So, I have to be worried during the entire damn meal? Will the press criticize my fork placement?”

“Everything is fair game.”

“Oh for fucks sake.”

“Lady Riley!” Bertrand scolded at her outburst.

“No one can hear me Bertrand…we are in the _fucking_ limo, so I can say _fuck_ if I want.”

Riley noticed Maxwell trying to stifle a laugh as Bertrand turned bright red and looked like steam was about to come from his ears. Riley burst out laughing and Maxwell broke, joining her in a fit of giggles.

“Are you both about done, now?” Bertrand asked.

“Yes, sir” Riley said, catching her breath.

“Lady Riley…you have been taught all you need to know. If you get criticized for your fork placement, it would be deserved. _Always_ keep your forks ordered properly.”

“You need to be on guard,” Justin said, “but also look at this as an opportunity.”

“An opportunity for what, exactly?” Riley asked.

“To prove that you are ready to be queen” Bertrand replied.

“You think Madeline was just trying to win King Liam during the social season? No, she was also wooing the people, the press and the court so they would support her when Liam made his decision. Which is exactly what you need to do now” Justin said.

“Okay,” Riley sighed, “number one…before all this proverbial _shit_ hit the fan…Liam’s choice was not Madeline, it _was_ me…and number two…you have already been told that my _sole_ focus is clearing my name. So, gentlemen, with that said…I will pay attention to my forks, I will smile and wave, I will wow an Italian statesman but I will not; let me repeat that, _not_ be looking at this as an opportunity to prove I can be queen. That is your end game, not mine!”

Bertrand and Justin exchanged a worried glance.

“Please just make sure that this new loan against the Beaumont estate isn’t for naught” Bertrand sighed.

“Of course, I won’t. We clear my name, we clear your house by association. You get to bask in the triumph of solving and overcoming this conspiracy. It should garner plenty of attention and acclaim, whether I become queen or not.”

“She has a point” Maxwell said, giving Riley a look of support. While it had been hard to tell him, she was glad Maxwell knew about her feelings for Drake. It was just one more person truly in her corner and she needed all she could get.

“I suppose you’re right” Bertrand relented.

“Now that we agree…what do I need to do tonight to make a good impression?”

“With the press, keep it simple” Justin said. “Don’t give them anything to speculate with. I mean, the pundits will speculate regardless, but if there’s nothing there, they’ll forget about it after the next news break. Pose, smile and move on.”

“The Italian statesman at dinner was a friend of Liam’s mother, and is married to a Cordonian noble woman. His opinion is important in both Italy and Cordonia.”

“Smooth talk him. Impress him. Charm him.”

“Way ahead of you there…Hana taught me some basic Italian to use when I meet him.”

Justin was impressed with Riley’s prep work. In addition to using her newly acquired Italian, he suggested turning the topic to football, aka Soccer, if the opportunity presented itself. The statesman’s favorite team had won the previous night. Justin brought her up to speed on highlights of the game and Riley had watched enough World Cup to know terms and sound knowledgeable. Bertrand advised that the statesman might also bring up politics, specifically Cordonian policy as it pertains to Italy.

“Okay…I have plenty of background on foreign relations and policy from a global perspective, but what could he possibly ask me about Cordonian policy?”

“King Liam is working on a deal to trade Cordonian tax incentives for access to EU Markets. As a member of Liam’s court, you’re at least expected to be informed.”

Riley used the last few minutes of their ride to brush up on foreign policy and any articles she could find on Liam’s negotiations via Google. She finished the final article just as the limo was rolling to a stop outside the restaurant.

“Looks like you’re up!” Justin exclaimed.

Maxwell was the first to exit the limo and extended his hand back inside to assist Riley. The shouts from the assembled press started the minute she rose from the car. Flashbulbs went off in a flurry all around her and she confidently walked the carpet on Maxwell’s arm, smiling and posing for photos. Riley was surprised to be greeted by Hana just as they approached the door.

“There you are” Hana exclaimed. “I was afraid I would have to walk in alone.”

Hana took Maxwell’s free arm and they strolled into the crowded restaurant together where many nobles already had drinks in hand and were mingling. Riley was surprised to see a second flock of reporters inside, interviewing nobles and taking pictures. When she, Maxwell and Hana stopped in response to a reporter’s request for a photo, she flashed her practiced smile and looked out into the crowd. Just behind the man taking their picture, Riley caught a glimpse of a woman who looked familiar. As recognition finally came, she did her best not to allow the surprise to show on her face, because there in the crowd was the woman from the Mansingh badge. When the cameras finally trained their lenses elsewhere, Riley elbowed Maxwell and subtly nodded to the woman who had begun to move away. Maxwell’s eyes went wide and Riley took off to follow her. By the time Maxwell caught up, Riley stood in the lobby having lost the woman in the crowd.

“Riley” Maxwell said breathlessly. “What are you doing?”

“Max, it was the photographer!”

“She’s here?” Hana said, coming up behind Maxwell.

“She was but she got away.”

“We’ll get her” Maxwell assured her.

“If she’s covering the party, she will be here all night” Hana said.

“You’ll get another chance. We just have to wait for your moment.”

“Are you sure? Because I can’t stand the thought of letting her get away.”

“It’s the hottest event in town. Trust me, she’ll stay.”

“Maybe we can draw her out somehow?” Hana suggested.

“Good idea! We’ll get her alone and pump her for information” Maxwell said.

“And then she’ll tell us who hired her that night” Riley exclaimed.

Hana agreed, “and we’ll finally have a solid lead.”

“Just like real detectives. The game is afoot. Well, almost afoot…We should get seated for dinner. Bertrand’s probably waiting for us.”

Hana took her leave to move to her assigned table while Riley and Maxwell went in search of Bertrand. As they shuffled through the crowd slowly, Riley lost her grip on Maxwell’s arm, wobbled on her heels and clumsily fell into someone standing beside her. When she regained her footing, she turned to apologize and found herself face to face with Liam.

“Lady Riley. What a pleasure to run into you here.” Liam said as his eyes swept down her body and a blush rose to his cheeks. “Red is…certainly your color.”

“Good evening, Your Majesty” Riley said. “It is a pleasure to be here. And thank you.”

“No need for such formalities, Riley. Are you enjoying the spectacle?” he asked, gesturing around the room.

“It is…a little much. We’re certainly not in Cordonia anymore.”

“No, it’s certainly different. More modern, bigger, brighter.”

“Those things don’t mean better…I hope you don’t think me rude if I say I rather miss Cordonia already.”

“Not at all. I feel the same way myself. All of this can be a bit…overwhelming. I trust Maxwell is looking out for you.”

“He takes very good care of me, as do Hana and Drake.” 

Riley noticed Liam’s shoulders drop at her response, but he quickly recovered his composure as usual when the sound of someone tapping on a glass filled the room. Adelaide was at the front of the room seeking everyone’s attention and asking them to find their seats. Madeline seemed annoyed and was whispering harshly to her mother when Adelaide put her on the spot to address the room. After stuttering briefly, she thanked everyone for coming and once again asked them to take their seats.

“We should be finding our places” Liam said.

“That we should” Riley said. Liam leaned in to give Riley a kiss on the cheek, but she offered her hand instead. “Enjoy your dinner, Liam” she said as she turned to go.

Riley caught sight of Maxwell and made her way to a table where Bertrand and a man she didn’t recognize were also sitting. As Bertrand stood to greet her, she offered her hand and a polite bow.

“Lady Riley, there is someone I would like you to meet. This is signor Francesco.”

The tall dark-haired man stood and reached for Riley’s hand, taking it and placing a delicate kiss across her knuckles.

“Salve, Lady Riley. It is a pleasure.”

“Bueno sera, signor Francesco. The pleasure is all mine. I am delighted to be here in your beautiful country.”

“Molto bene! Sit, sit.”

“Before I sit, I have a gift for you” Riley said, presenting Francesco with the bouquet she and Hana had made.

“For me? These are lovely.”

“Of course. The hydrangeas symbolize our gratitude for hosting us, and the white roses signify the unity between Cordonia and Italy.”

“Magnificent. A most thoughtful gift.”

“Thank you, signor” Riley said, taking the seat next to Francesco. Maxwell and Francesco became engaged in conversation as other guests joined the table. Riley was pleasantly surprised to see Olivia joining them.

“Good evening. It looks like I will be sitting here with you” Olivia said.

“Welcome, Lady…” Francesco queried.

“Olivia Nevrakis, Duchess of Lythikos. Good evening, signor.”

“Please, call me Francesco. These dinners are pretentious enough without the ‘signor’ nonsense. I must say, Riley, you have an excellent taste in fashion.”

“Oh?” Riley said.

“Your gown! It’s bellissima. I would recognize Italian couture anywhere.”

“Grazie.” Riley smiled in appreciation at Olivia who returned a wink.

“I told Riley that it was stunning on her. I’m _always_ right about these things.”

As the conversation continued to flow easily at the table, servers began moving about the room. Plates of artistically crafted Italian cuisine were placed on the tables and glasses were filled with a vibrant red wine. Francesco had ordered a special vintage wine for the court in honor of the happy occasion. Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes, knowing the engagement was anything but happy. Instead, she focused on her weeks of lessons and making an impression, delicately swirling the wine and taking a sip.

“It’s lovely; fruit forward and smokey, with hints of rose and an oak finish.” Riley noticed Bertrand smiling his approval. “A beautiful wine” she said.

“Yes, this Sangiovese is from the oldest vineyards in Tuscany” Francesco explained. “It is an Italian treasure. The name means ‘blood of Jupiter’.”

“Wouldn’t that make it the wine of gods and kings?”

“It would. What a delightful observation!”

While Riley basked in the approval from Francesco, Olivia sampled the wine and appeared unimpressed.

“Please. We have wines in the cellar of our winter home that would make this taste like watered-down grape juice” she asserted.

Riley gasped while Francesco scowled at the Scarlett Duchess.

“Perhaps your tastes are simply not refined enough to appreciate it” he said. “Lady Riley, Lady Olivia, I didn’t know what to expect of you two after the rumors I’ve heard…”

“Rumors?” Riley asked.

“I wouldn’t expect someone of your stature to pay attention to idle gossip” Olivia said.

“A fair point” Francesco conceded, “but when nobles talk, it’s difficult to ignore it.”

“What are the rumors about Riley?” Maxwell asked, chiming in for the first time.

“That she is unfit to be at court, to say nothing of the scandal that developed when she was in contention to be queen.”

“Do you believe them?” Riley asked.

“Tell me, should I believe them?”

“Telling you would assume that you have reason to take me at my word. I can only try to show people who I really am. I can’t change anyone’s mind with words alone.”

“A wise response. If you want people to have faith in you, you will need to do more than tell them to. Court may seem like nothing more than ball gowns and galas, but it’s politics. Play or get off the field. Speaking of, do you watch football?”

“Yes, I happen to be a fan of both American and European football. I saw your team’s last game. Quite a win with that stoppage time golazo!”

“I was on the edge of my seat. And tying the game with a free kick a few minutes earlier? Magnifico!”

“It was something else” Riley agreed.

“It truly is ‘the beautiful game’.”

“A beautiful game befitting a beautiful country. I truly am honored to be here. It has long been a dream of mine to visit.”

“Ah, yes, Italia is the most beautiful country in the world. I envy your opportunity to experience my country with fresh eyes. The rolling hills of Tuscany, the shores of Sicily, the bustle and history of Rome.”

“You’re forgetting the crowded street and the annoying tourists” Olivia interjected.

“Nonsense. Only someone with a truly narrow mind can’t look past those inconveniences. Italy is an unrivaled wellspring of art and culture. Our artisans and craftspeople are world-renowned! But…their tenacity outpaces the local market.”

Riley recognized Francesco’s subtle shift to politics and trade talks. “What are you suggesting?” she asked.

“Honest Italians sell their work in Cordonia but are disadvantaged by tax incentives that favor native Cordonians. Shouldn’t the Crown level the playing field?”

“Of course. But shouldn’t any such attempt to level the field be mutually advantageous? For instance, Italy could allow Cordonia access to new markets in kind.”

“Riley makes an excellent point” Olivia said.

“It only seems fair” said Maxwell in agreement.

Francesco looked thoughtfully at Riley, momentarily rendered speechless.

“Impressive” he finally said. “No shrewd politician would consent to such a request without getting something in return.”

“I may not be as naïve as I look. Theories on International Trade was one of my favorite courses of study. I am particularly partial to the new trade theory, with less emphasis on competitive advantage and a driving focus on trade giving consumers greater choice of differentiated products.”

“You are certainly anything but naïve, Lady Riley” Francesco conceded. “I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on how such a deal could be struck between our countries, perhaps at a time where we are not meant to be celebrating.”

“I look forward to it” Riley said.

A moment later, servers arrived to begin clearing the dinner course in preparation for dessert. Francesco politely declined the offer of an after dinner drink and stood to bow to the table.

“I’m afraid I must pay the happy couple my respects and take my leave. I have some business matters to attend to” he said, turning to Riley. “Riley, dining with you has been an absolute delight. It is so rare to make the acquaintance of someone with such charm and taste. Arrivederci, signorina” he said with a kiss to her hand.

“It was a pleasure, signor. Arrivederci.”

Riley smiled with satisfaction as Maxwell, Bertrand and Olivia all turned to her in awe.

“I think that went really well!” she exclaimed.

“I knew you’d do great” Maxwell said.

“I’m surprised…and a little impressed. I’m glad my days of needing to jump through courtly hoops are over” Olivia said.

“Who knew those wine tasting lessons would actually come in handy? Thanks to you both” she said, raising her glass to Maxwell and Bertrand.

“I think Francesco was more impressed with your political savvy than your wine assessment” Olivia said. “And for that, you have no one to thank but yourself.”

“Olivia? Did you just…”

“Stop…don’t! Don’t say it….I told you I have a dagger. Don’t make me use it.”

“How about we forget about deadly weapons and celebrate with some tiramisu” Maxwell suggested.

“Before that, I need a word with you, Maxwell” Bertrand said, standing to excuse himself. “Alone.”

Maxwell reluctantly stood to follow, casting Riley a half-hearted smile. “Hold the tiramisu, I’ve been summoned.”

Riley watched as Bertrand practically dragged Maxwell to an out of the way alcove. It was clear that this was going to be another epic Bertrand lecture. For a moment she contemplated following them but before she could, Drake slid into the seat next to her.

“I thought you’d never stop talking to that Italian guy” he huffed.

“Awww, did you miss me?”

“You’re preferable to standing alone in a corner.”

“Clearly a high bar.”

“Yet so many fail to clear it, except you of course. Nice dress by the way.”

“So…you’re not still mad at me? I’m so sorry, Dr…”

“Water under the bridge” Drake interrupted. “You were right, I just needed time to see it.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley noticed Olivia eyeing them suspiciously… “Just adorable, you two” she scoffed, shaking her head.

“What are _you_ even doing here, Olivia?”

“Helping Riley.”

“I’ve seen your kind of help. We’re better off without it.”

“It’s good to see you too, Drake.”

“Drake,” Riley said gently, sliding her hand over his under the table, “she’s actually helping. She’s sincere.”

“Sincere in her cruelty” he scoffed.

“We met up earlier because she is looking for the blackmailer too.”

Drake looked pleadingly at Riley while also keeping a side eye gaze on Olivia. He didn’t trust her and desperately wanted to beg Riley to keep her out of it. Olivia noticed his continued hesitation.

“I was targeted just like Riley. We have the same enemy.”

Drake huffed, relenting, “If Nevin’s okay with it, then fine. But I’m watching you.”

“Don’t hurt yourself” Olivia retorted.

“So, I know we just talked a few hours ago but have you found anything?” Riley asked.

“I’ve been following a lead. During the social season, someone tried to sell a pack of photos of you and Liam in New York to the tabloids.”

“How the hell do you know about that?” Drake said through gritted teeth.

“Don’t sound so surprised. I’m the Duchess of Lythikos, I get what I want.”

“But Bastien and I bought the photos back before they were published. How did you find them when no one else did?”

“The details aren’t important. We’ll leave it at that.”

“See…this is what I’m talking about, Nevin…she can’t be trust if she won’t even site…”

Riley held up her free hand to stop Drake and ran her thumb soothingly over the knuckles of his hand she was still holding under the table. Drake huffed in frustration but relented.

“So,” she said, returning her attention to Olivia, “does this mean the person who sold Drake the photos is the same person who had the photos taken of me and Tariq?”

“Don’t be dense, Riley…it doesn’t suit you. If I knew the answer to that, we wouldn’t be here having this pointless discussion.”

“No need for insults here, Olivia. We want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do” Drake said angrily.

“I think that whoever sold the photos could have a connection to the person who blackmailed Riley and me.”

“That’s…a possibility” Drake agreed. “But unless you have something to show us, we’re no further in this investigation than we were before we started talking to you.”

“Funny you should mention that. As a matter of fact, I have a copy of those photos with me. And I think I have a hunch about who took them. But I want you two with me on this.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this on the train?” Riley gasped.

“Because _somebody_ forgot the meaning of ‘come alone’.”

“And I don’t count?” Drake asked.

“You’re not a threat.”

“Are you sure about that?” he hissed.

Olivia shook her head in amusement at Drake’s attempted intimidation.

“Besides,” she said, turning back to Riley, “I said I’d find you when I had more information to share, and here we are. Are you going to help or not?”

“ _I’ll_ look into it with you” Drake insisted. “Riley doesn’t have to get her hands dirty with this.”

Riley squeezed Drake’s hand affectionately. She was touched by how protective he was being and it was obvious, simply by the use of her first name, how serious he was.

“Riley is a big girl” Olivia protested. “She can take care of herself.”

“We don’t know where this lead will take us, and Riley could still be a target.”

“If there is new evidence, I want to be there to see it” Riley interjected.

Drake looked over at her, the worry in his eyes tugged at her heart. “I don’t want people going after you because we overturned the right rock” he pleaded.

“I love the concern, Drake…but I think I’m good. I know I have people looking out for me.”

“Alright” Drake sighed. “There’s not much use in protesting…I know how damn stubborn you are.”

“Thank goodness that’s settled” Olivia scoffed as she laid out several photographs on the table. “These are copies of the images that were sold to the tabloids.”

“So, what’s your hunch?” Riley asked as she scanned the photos.

Olivia pointed to each of the photos, noting who was in them. As Riley looked them over, she couldn’t help but think again, just as she said to Drake in Lythikos, that there was nothing remotely scandalous about them. While she looked for the common thread that Olivia was alluding too, she noticed Drake lingering on a photo of her and Liam laughing together at the club. Knowing where his thoughts were, she again gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as Olivia droned on.

“So…you know what that means?” Olivia asked bringing Riley from her trance. “There’s only one person who’s not in a single photo…Maxwell.”

“No way” Drake exclaimed, pulling his hand from Riley’s and pounding the table. Luckily the hum of the crowded room drowned out his outburst. “I thought Bastien screened all the photos.”

“That means that the only person that could be the photographer is…” Riley started.

“Maxwell” Drake hissed, finishing her thought.

“No” Riley said, shaking her head vehemently. She didn’t want to believe it. “We’re jumping to conclusions. There has to be an explanation…Maxwell is like a brother to me, he wouldn’t hurt me.”

“There’d better be a damned explanation!” Drake shouted.

“Whatever you think of him, he needs to be questioned” Olivia said in her usual steely demeanor. It was clear that she was emotionally detached from the implications of it being Maxwell, but Riley sat stunned.

“Nevin…” Drake said gently, “you know I don’t say this lightly but…Olivia’s right, we need to question him.”

Riley turned her gaze to where Maxwell and Bertrand still stood huddled in the alcove. Maxwell looked beaten down by whatever Bertrand was berating him about this time. Drake followed her gaze.

“Let’s get him” he said.

“Fine,” she said standing from her seat. “But promise me you won’t go on the attack. Let me handle it.”

“I’ll do my best, Nevin.”

Olivia picked up the photos and the three of them made their way across the room and stepped into the alcove.

“Excuse us, we’re discussing important matters here” Bertrand said firmly.

Maxwell tried to be cheerful despite the tongue lashing he was getting. “I know I’m holding up the tiramisu,” he said, “but we’re almost done here.”

Drake scowled at Maxwell, trying to bite his tongue and keep his promise to Riley. Despite their differences, Olivia and Drake were in lock step as she turned an icy glare on Maxwell as well. Riley, however, just looked hurt.

“Why are you all looking at me funny?” Maxwell asked. “Is this a staring contest? I’m game” he joked returning their gaze. “Grrr…I’ll beat all three of you.”

“Maxwell…this isn’t a time for jokes or games” Riley said. “I need you to explain yourself.”

“I’m an enigma. I am beyond explanation.”

With Maxwell unable to stop joking, Olivia confronted him with the hard evidence, thrusting the photos into his face.

“You took these” she yelled.

“Thanks for citing your sources. Those are my pictures from the bachelor party in New York. I actually like that one” he said pointing to a photo of Drake and Liam. “I’m not much of a photographer, but I gave that one a nice Dutch angle.”

“I can’t believe you” Drake shouted, unable to control his anger any longer.

“Did I do something wrong?” Maxwell asked.

“You’re connected to the blackmailer” Olivia accused.

“What?” Maxwell looked shocked and terrified, truly unable to believe what Olivia was saying. “I would never betray Riley.”

Riley stepped up in front of Drake and Olivia… “Maxwell, I believe that, but we need an explanation. These photos ended up in the hands of the tabloids back at the beginning of the social season. _Your_ photos…and they didn’t get there without some help. So, we need to know what you know about how they got there…if it wasn’t you, something you know could help us track down who sold them.”

“Riley, I can see that this is serious” he said, shifting his gaze from her to Olivia and Drake and back again. “But I took the pictures because I was going to make a scrapbook of all our time spent together. It was meant to be a surprise which is ruined now.”

“Screw the damn surprise, Maxwell” Drake shouted. “If this was all meant for a scrapbook, why sell them to the tabloids!”

“That wasn’t me! I could never do that.”

“You can and you did” Olivia yelled.

“You betrayed Liam! You betrayed Riley! You betrayed all of us!” Drake’s fists were clinched and Riley could feel the tension radiating off of him behind her. “We trusted you” he said, sounding pained.

“No…I..I” Maxwell protested.

To her right, Riley saw movement just beyond the frame of the alcove and knew they were being watched. Drake and Olivia’s anger had drawn attention to them even in their out-of-the way location, but she had lost all control of the situation and she could do nothing to stop it. She turned, trying to get Drake’s attention and saw the same photographer they had been searching for pressed against the wall outside the alcove. Drake and Olivia continued to berate Maxwell and Riley felt hopeless and torn between getting answers from Maxwell or cornering the photographer.

“Stop!” Bertrand yelled, stepping into the middle of the ruckus for the first time and pulling Riley from thought. “Please…stop” he pleaded. “If you would please direct your ire away from Maxwell. The indiscretion in question is mine and mine alone.”

“Meaning” Drake hissed.

“I was the one who sold the photos of the bachelor party to the tabloids” he said, hanging his head in shame.

“Bertrand! No! Why? How could you do that to Riley and Liam?” Maxwell asked as his voice cracked fighting against the hurt of betrayal.

“Explain yourself” Drake demanded.

“There is no excuse for what I did, but the reason enough was simple…money. Most nobles didn’t think Lady Riley would last a week…I was one of them. Here I was, facing the terrible reality of having agreed to sponsor a failure of a candidate…House Beaumont’s last chance at being restored to its former glory would be ruined, and it would be on my shoulders. I decided to salvage what I could and sell any material related to Riley, the photos in question being the only thing I could find.”

“Bertrand, you went through my phone?”

“I was doing research, all in the name of saving House Beaumont. But…I betrayed you, Maxwell, my only brother, my own flesh and blood. Father would be ashamed if he knew.”

“Bertrand,” Riley said as she fought tears, “you sold me out.” For a moment, the pain of Bertrand’s betrayal made her forget the opportunity that lingered just beyond the alcove.

“I did. There’s no excusing it. If it means anything at all, and I don’t suspect that it does…Please know that I’ll never forgive myself for this. For what I did to you. If it’s any solace, I can only say that this was before…before I knew you. Before I saw that you had a chance here at court. Before I…before I began to believe in you.”

“Another mistake by the _oh-so-illustrious_ Duke of Ramsford” Drake injected while Riley stood speechless.

“It would appear so” Bertrand conceded. “Lady Riley, I do not believe my actions are worthy of your forgiveness…Even so, let me extend to you my most sincere apologies.”

“Mine too” Maxwell added.

“No, Maxwell” Bertrand protested. “You had nothing to do with this. The blame is mine to shoulder. I know it’s too much to hope for your forgiveness, but I’d at least like to offer my continued services. My misconduct has no relation to the cretins who so wrongly hurt you at the Coronation. I may still be of some use in helping you uncover your true enemies here.”

Drake and Olivia started to grumble their protests against trusting Bertrand while Maxwell spoke up in defense of his brother.

“I need a moment to process this” Riley said, raising her hand to quiet them all. She took a seat on a chair in the corner of the alcove and put her head in her hands. Her movement to the corner put her further from the opening of the alcove, and she hoped, far enough away to speak without being heard. Moments of silence passed before she could look Bertrand in the eye again.

“Bertrand...I was taught to forgive, but never forget. I understand why you did it, I’ve watched you for months trying to keep your house a float and desperation makes people do questionable things...”

“Lady Riley, I...”

“No, I’m not finished. Too many times you’ve cut me off or tuned me out, you will let me finish.”

Bertrand nodded in agreement as she continued.

“So, while I can and do forgive you...simply from a place of understanding your motivations, I will not forget this. I will not forget how quick you were to doubt me without knowing me...you heard “American waitress” and immediately I was beneath you. I will not forget that more than once you put your own needs and desires above mine as if my being your sponsee made me beholden to you and took away my right to choose my own life. You’ve broken my trust, Bertrand...if you want to change that, you’ll have to earn it back. Continuing to assist with this investigation is as good a place to start as any. And it starts, now.”

“Lady Riley, I assure you, I will remain in your corner and continue to fight to clear your name, not for me, not for my house...but for you.”

Riley stood and in a move that shocked everyone, she pulled Bertrand into an embrace, whispering in his ear, “The photographer is right outside the alcove, she’s been watching us this whole time.”

Bertrand stepped back from the embrace, the look of shock on his face unmistakeable. Maxwell couldn’t help but smile while Olivia looked disgusted and Drake stood in awe of Riley and her compassion.

“Well, this proved to be a waste of time” Olivia scoffed.

Maxwell turned to Riley with a sad smile... “I think I’ll take that tiramisu now, and lots of it. It’s more of a stress eating than stress dancing kind of night.”

“Wait” she said before they could leave the alcove, gesturing for them all to come closer. “We’ve been being watched while we were in here…by the photographer from Applewood.”

“Nevin! Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t exactly have an opening and didn’t want to give away that I knew she was there. Plus, I needed the truth in this situation almost as much as I need to find her. Odds are, since we’re no longer screaming, she’s not out there anymore but we know she is still here somewhere. We have to split up and find her.”

“Yes, well…I will leave that to your team of crack detectives. Now that we know the bachelor party photos aren’t related to either of our blackmailers, I’m leaving. Hopefully the next lead I find will be more fruitful.”

“At least we know the truth” Drake said.

“Olivia, sometimes just ruling out a possibility is fruitful, and we couldn’t have done this without you” Riley said.

“Yeah, you were actually...helpful” Drake added.

“Don’t make too much of it. We’re allies of convenience.”

“We’re still allies”

“Yeah, we are” Olivia conceded as the faintest hint of a smile crossed her face. Before things could get any more sentimental, Olivia turned and left the alcove.


	8. Bad Liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley and Maxwell finally corner the photographer after some ridiculous antics to root her out. The evidence they find isn't much but it gives Riley hope. Despite refusing to be Liam's mistress, she agrees to meet him but it doesn't go as he had hoped. After an emotional conversation with Liam, Riley returns to the train and encounters Drake who takes her on a very date-like non-date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_So look me in the eyes, Tell me what you see  
Perfect paradise, Tearing at the seams  
I wish I could escape, I don’t wanna fake it  
Wish I could erase it, Make your heart believe  
But I’m a bad liar, Bad Liar  
  
_

Riley anxiously tried to focus on her friends and other members of the court who had gathered at the dessert table to graze and converse but her distraction was obvious. Servers were moving through the room offering digestifs and the dinner was clearly winding down but thankfully the press appeared to still be lingering. With the knowledge that she had just been lurking, Drake and Maxwell each went off on their own in search of the photographer while Bertrand had headed back to the train.

While continuing to scan the room herself, Riley gave the illusion of caring about the conversation going on around her. Hana and Kiara talked excitedly about Italy while Penelope lamented over disliking the crowds and the parties. When Kiara belittled Penelope, telling her to toughen up, Riley quickly came to her defense. In true Penelope fashion, she sided with Kiara admitting that she needed to get over her anxieties. Hana shared some tips from her training to help Penelope deal with the pressures of social events.

“My parents always told me ‘no one cares if you are enjoying yourself, as long as you smile and laugh at the right times’” Hana said.

“Um…Hana, that seems like the first step down the road to a lifetime of emotional issues” Riley said, shocked at the advice.

“Well, I never accused my parents of being the best when it came to emotional advice. But as odd as it may sound, in this case I think they were right.”

Hana pointed out that nearly everyone in court was probably putting on the same act. They all seemed to be composed and having a good time, but their smile never quite reached their eyes, and most people can’t tell if someone is acting because they’re faking it too. Ultimately, Riley had to concede to herself that Hana was right. Everyone’s mask at court had bothered her since she arrived and now even she herself had become accustomed to using her ‘customer service’ smile at court functions. Riley encouraged Penelope to just be herself. Even though doing so sometimes failed her, Penelope had a gentle spirit and put people at ease when she wasn’t trying too hard to make an impression. Riley assured Penelope that eventually a suitor would see all of her good qualities.

Penelope lit up at the thought. “Riley, you’re close with Maxwell Beaumont, right?”

“Yeah, you could say that…Maxwell is like family.”

“Do you think Maxwell might…well…be interested in a marriage prospect?”

“Oh…um…with you?” Riley said in shock.

“Well…yes” Penelope said tentatively, sensing Riley’s surprise. “He’s such a sweetheart, and a member of House Beaumont.”

“Yes…he is all those things, but um…I’m not sure you and Maxwell would be well suited. I’m not sure you’re his type.”

“Oh? What’s his type?” Penelope said curiously.

Riley wanted to be tactful but unfortunately, her oft malfunctioning filter failed her and she was a little too blunt… “Ummm…I’d say Maxwell would be looking for someone charming and witty, someone who knows how to have fun…and gorgeous, obviously.” Hana was staring at Riley with her mouth agape and Riley realized in horror that she had basically just called Penelope boring and plain without even saying the words.

Penelope looked dejected…“So…his type is someone like you?” she asked.

“What?” Riley stammered. “No, that’s not what I…”

“Ah, ahem…” Hana interrupted to cut the tension. “Not to change the subject, but…” she said, nodding toward Maxwell who was approaching the ladies.

“Ladies, might I have a moment of Riley’s time?” he asked as he stepped up to greet them.

“Oh…of course” Penelope said, giving Riley a small smile. “We’ll give you two some privacy.”

Maxwell took Riley’s arm and led her away toward the alcove by the windows.

“Maxwell, you have terrible timing!” she exclaimed.

“What? What did I do?”

“Ugh…” Riley sighed. “Penelope was asking if I thought you two could be a good match and my stupid mouth couldn’t stop itself from telling her she wasn’t your type…now she assumes _I’m_ your type…and you walking up when you did, to talk to _me_ …she also assumes she is right.”

Maxwell laughed…“Penelope will be back to talking about her poodles in five minutes, Ri. Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

“If you say so” she said, shaking her head. “The last thing I need is people at court thinking I’ve added another man to my _list_.”

“None of that will matter when we prove the truth…which is why I pulled you away. I’ve been all over this room with no luck _and_ I lost track of Drake, though I think the whole room would know it if he found her. We have to figure something out and act now before this evening ends.”

“But the press is scattered all over the restaurant. I was literally scanning the room the enter time I was at the dessert table. Fuck…I wish I had just stopped you guys from yelling at each other long enough to confront her when we had the chance.”

“Maybe we can draw the press in somehow? Make a scene? No photographer can resist the chance to catch a big moment in the making.”

“So what should this _big_ moment be?” she said thoughtfully. “Oh, I know, you could get mad at me and throw me out of House Beaumont. All of us fighting clearly got her attention once.”

“That will never work, Riley…everyone knows I’m a lover not a fighter.”

“Ok…so what’s your idea?”

“A fake proposal!” he exclaimed proudly.

“ _What_?” Riley said a little too loud. “Seriously! That’s so stupid…no offense. Sorry! I am seriously malfunctioning tonight but Maxwell, I _just_ told you I don’t need anyone thinking I have another man.”

“Don’t worry, it will be totally clear that it’s fake. Imagine the drama! I’ll get down on one knee and give a big speech…”

“But at the last minute it turns out…?” she questioned.

“I was talking about my dessert!”

Riley threw her head back with laughter. “That is just so perfectly ‘Maxwell’” she said. “Fine, I guess we don’t really have another choice. Let’s head toward an open area so we can draw them in.”

“And then what? We need to talk to her alone, how do we do that with the rest of the press around?”

“I’ll give you a signal when I see her. That’s when you confess that you’re in love with your dessert. Once they see the scene was really nothing, they’ll disperse but we’ll have eyes on her so we can talk to her.”

Returning to the dessert table, Maxwell began talking in a voice loud enough for a few nearby reporters to overhear.

“Lady Riley, there’s…something I need to say to you.”

Slowly reporters began to drift over. As Maxwell continued and the crowd grew, more and more people took notice and gathered around.

“Tonight, I discovered something about myself” he said. “Something I suppose I’ve known was true for a long time, but…I couldn’t admit it to myself until now.”

Riley placed her hand over her heart in feigned surprise, smiling sweetly at Maxwell as flash bulbs started going off around them.

“There was always something missing,” he continued, “some piece of me that wasn’t there. But then something unbelievable happened. Tonight, I realized what has been missing.”

Maxwell slowly moved to get down on one knee as the press pushed forward, each trying to get the best shot.

“It’s like my eyes are open for the first time” he said, reaching for Riley’s hand. “Riley, now that I know, I need the world to know.”

Riley raised her gaze to the onlooking press, selling her shock and surprise, when through the flashes, she finally caught sight of the woman they were looking for. The photographer’s lens were trained on Maxwell anxiously awaiting his declaration. Riley discreetly winked, giving Maxwell the signal.

“Maxwell,” she said, covering her mouth, “what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I love…” he started, reaching into his pocket. There was an audible gasp from the crowd as flashes went off in a blinding fury. Out of his pocket, Maxwell produced a spoon into the air… “Gelato!” he declared, dramatically dipping his spoon into a bowl, fluttering his eyelids and moaning with delight as he took a bite. “Sho derishush!” he mumbled with a full mouth.

The reporters groaned and yelled out in frustration over the ruse as Maxwell continued to lovingly devour his dessert. “I’ve never seen a love so pure” Riley giggled. The disappointed crowd began to disperse.

Riley kept her eyes on the photographer as Maxwell got back to his feet. They followed her out toward the lobby and as if sensing that she was being followed, the reporter looked back and took off running at the sight of them. Riley and Maxwell broke out into a run to keep up, only momentarily hindered when the photographer tripped a hostess in an attempt to block their path. Riley gracefully leapt over the hostess and Maxwell stopped briefly to help the woman up before catching up. 

With the photographer still in their sights they gained ground, racing through the moonlit streets of Italy. Without pause, the photographer ran out into traffic with Riley in hot pursuit, narrowly avoiding getting hit by a car. The duo watched as the woman ducked into an alleyway, fearful they’d lose her. Thankfully, the alley was a dead end and the woman was cornered.

Riley stopped and crouched, leaning on her knees as she tried to catch her breath… “Holy shit, Max…looks like your training montage came in handy after all.”

“I knew it would!”

Recovered from their run, they regarded the photographer as her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I was hoping to avoid this” she said.

“Of course you were” Riley retorted. “God forbid you have to face the music for telling lies.”

“Ummm…I was gonna ask who should be bad cop” Maxwell said, “but clearly you’ve got it covered.”

“Wow, very intimidating” the photographer scoffed.

“He may not scare you, but you should be very scared of me” Riley said, moving till she was nearly nose to nose with the woman. “Give me one good reason not to knock you out right where you stand!” Riley’s fists were clinched as she fought against the rage boiling inside of her. “Who are you?” she growled through gritted teeth

“Roseanna…” the woman stammered putting up her hands defensively. “Freelance photographer.”

“Got a last name?” Riley sneered.

“Not for you” the woman spit.

“I’d tone down the sarcasm if I were you…let’s cut the bullshit. Who hired you to take those pictures of me and Tariq at Applewood Manor?”

“Listen, I don’t know how but, you caught me. I don’t want to get embroiled any further in whatever is going on, so…”

“You could have fooled me. I saw you spying on us outside the alcove back at the restaurant. Got another big payday lined up for more information?”

“I’m an investigative reporter, it’s what I do!”

“What you’re going to do, from now on, is stay the fuck away from me! And…you’re going to give me anything you have from tonight and all the details about the night at Applewood.”

“I…” Rosanna stammered.

“We want the truth” Maxwell shouted.

“Settle down” she said dismissively. “I am _trying_ to tell you the truth. Here…” she said, handing over a recorder. “That’s from tonight.”

“What did you plan to do with this?” Riley asked shoving the recorder at Maxwell to hold.

Rosanna looked down at her feet… “Write a story…sell it. As for Applewood, I don’t know who hired me. I never met them.”

“And you didn’t think that was a little, I don’t know, shady?”

“It was a paid gig” Rosanna said. “I don’t really have the luxury of caring where my paycheck comes from. Not all of us live in fancy palaces and have everything handed to us.”

“So much for journalistic integrity…making assumptions about people and not giving a shit who you hurt for money. I’ve never had a damn thing handed to me but I somehow doubt even knowing that would have stopped you from ruining my life to line your own pockets. If you never met them, how did you collect your blood money?” Riley asked with fire burning in her eyes.

“Bank transfer. We never met or spoke on the phone.”

“You have to know more than that! They reached out to you, collected photos from you, paid you…what aren’t you telling us” Riley demanded.

“Well…I do have a digital copy of the receipt from the bank transfer. It’s the only thing I kept for my records. Freelancers always hang onto receipts…Anyway, you can have it. I want to wash my hands of this ASAP.”

Rosanna pulled out her phone and typed up a message with the receipt attached.

“Where do you want this sent?” she asked.

“Umm…you can send it to ‘thefullbeaumonty’ at…you know what, maybe it would be easier if I typed it myself” he said sheepishly. 

Rosanna begrudgingly handed her phone to Maxwell, who typed out an excessively long email address before handing the phone back. Rosanna looked at the screen and shook her head, “Really?” she asked.

“I made it when I was fourteen, okay?” Maxwell said defensively.

“There,” she said, pressing buttons on her phone, “it’s sent. Can I go now?”

 _“_ By all means” Riley huffed. “ _We’ll_ clean up the mess that _you_ made. But Rosanna…if anything about tonight ends up in the papers, I won’t hold back next time. We found you once…we’ll find you again if we need to.”

Without a word, Rosanna angrily shouldered past Riley and disappeared into the night.

Pulling out his phone, Maxwell opened the email and began scanning the receipt.

“Anything useful?” Riley asked.

“I’m not sure…it doesn’t look very detailed. Let’s bring it back to Bertrand.”

Riley hesitated for a moment, still unsure of how quickly she should trust Bertrand again. “What can he do?” she asked.

“Bertrand goes to the bank and talks to credit card companies all the time these days, he’ll know exactly what he’s looking at and what we can use. And if all else fails, he can use his Duke Ramsford tactics to intimidate someone into telling us something” Maxwell laughed. “ _You dare dishonor the Great House Beaumont? I’ll have you drawn and quartered like the swine you are”_ he imitated.

“Hah! You sound just like him!” Riley exclaimed.

“It’s one of my few skills.”

“Well, thanks for lightening the mood. This was intense.”

“My other useful skill!” he proclaimed. “Now, let’s get this evidence back to the lab.”

\--------------------------------------------

Riley and Maxwell arrived back at the train exhausted but happy with their investigative efforts.

“I’m gonna find Bertrand” Maxwell said.

“Thanks, Maxwell. Let me know if he figures anything out…and destroy that recorder, if any of that got out it could be bad for Bertrand and your house’s reputation.”

“You didn’t have to forgive him, Ri. He’s my brother and even I would have understood if you didn’t.”

“What can I say…I forgave him for the same reason I’m sure you already have…he’s my ‘brother’.”

Maxwell pulled Riley into a hug…“You should go get some rest” he said.

“Yeah, you’re right, all that running really took it out of me. Goodnight” she said turning to go.

“Oh, Ri, wait. With all this drama, I almost forgot…ding ding ding…you have a message.”

Riley looked at Maxwell curiously with a raised eyebrow… “What do you mean, message?”

“Since Liam can’t contact you in a way that wouldn’t leave a trail,” he explained in a hushed tone, “he asked me to deliver a message. He said that if you wanted to see him, he’d be waiting for you down by the shore.”

“Really? How many times do I have to tell him I don’t want to sneak around with him? Yet he keeps doing this. So what, he’s just going to stand there waiting for me?”

“Yep. I know this is a tough situation. What are you going to do?”

“I feel like I should at least go talk to him…it would be rude to let him just stand there, but…I can’t do this, Maxwell…I can’t do what he wants, not when he’s engaged to Madeline and not when I’m, well…I just can’t.”

“Then tell him, Ri…tell him _something_ ” he said, pulling her into another bear hug. “Don’t stay out too late. Now that my messenger duties are done, I’m off to find Bertrand and go to bed.”

“Night, Max.”

Maxwell turned to head toward his suite while Riley took a seat at the bar. She needed some liquid courage before going to see Liam. After downing a double shot of whiskey, she headed out of the train into the cool night. She was regarded closely by the King’s Guard outside the train. Riley advised them she was just going for a walk and declined the offer of an escort.

It was about a block to the beach where she found Liam at the water’s edge sitting next to a row boat tied to some rocks. Liam rose to his feet and his face lit up when he saw her.

“Riley, you came!”

“Good evening, Your Majesty.”

“It certainly is now that you’re here, but no formalities, please Riley.”

Liam stepped toward her with outstretched arms, prompting Riley to take a slight step back. A look of disappointment crossed Liam’s face, but he quickly recovered into his trained smile.

“You wanted to see me?” Riley asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“Yes, there’s something I want to ask you. Something I have been thinking about, Riley.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about our future. I don’t want to talk about here it though. There is something I would like to show you. There’s a place nearby called the Blue Grotto, which used to be the bathing hole for Roman emperors. It’s…absolutely breathtaking. I used to go there as a child when my family came to Italy on diplomatic trips. I got to escape the meetings and boredom back when my brother was going to be king instead of me. I’d like to show it to you, that is…if you want to go?”

“Liam,” Riley sighed, looking to the ground and shaking her head. “I’m sorry…I don’t think it’s a good idea. It sounds beautiful but, I can’t go with you and…I can’t talk about the future. I told you, I’m not thinking beyond clearing my name.”

“Riley, I am as invested in clearing your name as you are, but thinking of what it will mean, thinking of the future is what keeps me going. Being with you when this is all over is nearly all I think about, I need you to know it’s what I want.”

Riley moved cautiously to take a seat on the rocks beside the row boat, fearful her legs would betray her. She felt shaken and unsteady, unsure of what to say next. Silence prevailed for what seemed to be too long until Liam took a seat beside her, maintaining his distance.

“Riley, what is it?”

“Liam…I…I have to be honest with you. I can’t promise you that when this is all over that we’ll be together. I know it’s what you want, believe me I know, but…I don’t know if it’s what _I_ want.”

“I…I don’t understand, Riley. The night of the Coronation, before all this, I told you I was going to propose…if this hadn’t happened, we’d be engaged.”

“Liam, we were interrupted…don’t you remember. Olivia came over and we never got to finish talking. And then the photos were released and I was dragged away…dragged away while you stood there.”

“Riley, I couldn’t…I wanted to stop it but…”

“But it’s always for the Crown” she whispered.

“It’s not like that…I swear, I thought I was doing the right thing. I wanted to protect you. Riley, I love you. I need you by my side, as my queen.”

“Liam, I can’t…I can’t make you any promises. I had _so_ many doubts during the social season, all the way up through the night of the Coronation. I never got the chance to tell you any of that but if Olivia hadn’t interrupted us that night, I would have. When I met you in New York it was like a dream, and I chased it. But so much happened, so much has changed. I need you to let me focus on fixing this mess, without asking anything from me…I care about you, I care about you so much, but I _cannot_ tell you what will happen when this is over.”

“You…you _care_ about me? But…I thought…Riley, I love you.”

“I know” she whispered as tears began to fall from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Liam. I’m not trying to hurt you…I’m just not there, we didn’t have time. With all the protocol and confines of the season…for you, that spark from New York grew, for me…for me it felt like the competition was trying to snuff it out. So yes, I care, deeply; but I can’t tell you what you want to hear.”

Liam stared blankly out across the ocean. His breath was measured but Riley couldn’t see his face. Part of her wanted to hug him, to take away the pain that _she_ had just caused, but she didn’t want to give him false hope. When he finally spoke, he still didn’t look at her.

“You can’t ask me to stop loving you, to give up hope. I won’t pressure you and I will be here every step of the way while you fix this but once it is done…” he said, finally turning to face her… “once this is done, I will do everything I can to show you what you mean to me.”

Tears continued to stream down Riley’s face and her heart ached. This loving, kind, generous man wanted to fight, for _her_ , and she still couldn’t muster the courage to tell him everything. 

“Liam…”

“You don’t have to say anything more, Riley. I just needed you to know.”

“Thank you, Liam. I, umm…I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day and Max and I had an eventful night. I’m going to head back to the train.”

“My apologies. If I’d known you were so exhausted, I wouldn’t have asked you to walk down here.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

“Please be careful getting back. Sleep well, Riley.”

“Good night, Liam.”

Riley walked slowly back to the train with a heavy heart. Despite the exhaustion, she knew that sleep wasn’t going to come easily. Stopping at the bar for the second time in the evening, she ordered another double shot of whiskey. As she sat nursing the drinking, she saw Liam return through an entrance further down the train close to his suite. He looked lost as he approached but when he reached the member of the royal guard at the door, he had turned on his normal kingly composure. Even with all the times she had witnessed it, seeing him switch gears and wall off his emotions so deftly still caused a knot in her gut. Once she finished her drink, Riley walked through the dining car toward her suite, determined to make herself sleep. As she entered the dimly lit hall, a door to her right slid open and Drake stepped out, nearly colliding with her.

“Nevin!” he said, startled.

“Oh, hey Drake. Sorry, I didn’t expect anyone to be coming out at this hour. Where are you going so late?”

“To get a real meal. I don’t know about you, but I don’t ‘get’ fancy food. That stuff was designed to impress my eyes, not actually feed me” he said as Riley shifted nervously on her feet and avoided his gaze. “You alright, Nevin? You’re not looking at me or giving me a hard time.”

“Of course I’m alright, why wouldn’t I be alright? You don’t have to worry about me, Drake. Its just been a long night. Don’t let me keep you from your food” she said as she started to move past him.

“You’re welcome to join me to whatever place I find,” he said, gently grabbing her by the arm to pull her back.

“I don’t know, Drake” she said. In the cover of night, alone in the train car, after turning down time with Liam, going to dinner with Drake felt an awful lot like sneaking around…which she kept telling everyone she was opposed to. In fairness, however, Drake wasn’t engaged.

“I’m not gonna twist your arm…I can promise a full stomach and decent conversation, but be warned, after tonight, I’m in the mood for something with a Michelin rating of zero.”

“Drake Walker promising me decent conversation? Does that mean you’ll actually tell me more about yourself?” she asked, intrigued.

“Really? That’s what you took from that?”

“You don’t often volunteer to talk about yourself and I wanna know more about you.”

“Not much worth talking about but whatever secrets that’ve made it this far, I’ll share” he chuckled.

“In that case, I could definitely use a bite to eat.”

“Right this way then” Drake said, gently placing his hand on the small of her back and leading her out of the train.

They walked through the lamp lit streets back in the direction of the beach that Riley had just come from not long before. The streets were quaint and lined with shops and bakeries and restaurants, most of which were closed. Riley was quiet at first, pushing down the guilt she felt over coming out with Drake after telling Liam she was exhausted. For tonight though, she had already said as much as she could to Liam.

Drake rambled on about good authentic Italian food and turned them down a small alley where he was sure they’d find a place. As they continued to walk Riley reached for Drake’s hand, intertwining her fingers with his. He looked down at their joined hands and then looked deep into her eyes with a smile. Gently pulling her hand, he drew her close and threw his arm around her shoulders. She relished the warmth of him in the cool evening air. Being with him somehow always put her at ease and she felt herself begin to relax.

“So,” she said, looking up at him, “is this a secret date?”

“What?” Drake stammered, nearly stopping in his tracks.

“A secret date…A nice meal at an Italian restaurant _you_ invited me to.”

“I invited you for food. Because I thought you were hungry. Normal people eat when they’re hungry.”

“Oh,” Riley said, looking at him with puppy dog eyes, “and here I was excited for our first date.”

“Err…I…You’re killing me, Nevin.”

Moments later Drake guided her into the first open restaurant they had found. It was charmingly authentic and reminded Riley of the mom-and-pop shops in Little Italy with the Tuscan décor and red and white checkered table clothes. There were only a handful of other patrons so Riley and Drake sat themselves in a small half-moon shaped booth in the back. It was intimate and perfectly suited for two people as they sat nearly elbow to elbow.

A kind-looking, middle-aged man walked up to the table, introduced himself as Lorenzo and handed them two menus.

“Grazie, Lorenzo” Riley said, smiling up at him. Lorenzo nodded and turned back to the kitchen to give them a moment.

“So this is more your speed?” Riley said, looking around while Drake regarded the menu.

“A menu, a table, and the promising smell of good food. Yep…that’s all I want.”

Lorenzo returned to the table, placing down two glasses of water. “Hai tuo deciso il ordine?”

Riley laughed as Drake looked between Lorenzo and the menu, stumbling over his words. “Didn’t think through this part of your plan, did you?” she asked.

“No, no…I’ve got this” he said. “Spaghetti and pizza.” Lorenzo nodded and returned to the kitchen.

“Nice save!” Riley said.

“Thank you, thank you. You’ve now seen my survival skills in action.”

“Do you do this often?”

“This isn’t my first time going rogue. When you follow Liam around, you end up in foreign lands quite often.”

“And in fancy parties with fancy food that leaves you hungry later?”

“All the time!”

“Well, now you’ve got me for company on your covert food missions. But you know, I just realized something. We didn’t have to dodge any palace security guards to get out here. Do they just let you come and go as you please?”

“I am nowhere near as important as Liam. But Bastien also knows me. He knows I can take care of myself…and you.”

“Really? Bastien trusts _you_?”

“Yeah. Don’t sound so surprised. We kind of go way back.”

“Oh, yay…story time!” she said as Lorenzo arrived with their food.

Two piping hot bowls of a creamy, peppery spaghetti carbonara and a margherita pizza were placed down on the table. The smells were enticing and Riley felt her stomach growl, hoping Drake didn’t hear it. After thanking Lorenzo, they both quietly dug into their spaghetti.

“That’s exactly what I needed. Simple, delicious, and filling” Drake said between bites.

“It is _sooo_ good” Riley hummed.

“You can always trust me to find the right food.”

“It’s one of your many talents…along with avoiding talking about yourself. Just because the food is here doesn’t mean you get out of story time.”

“I didn’t mean for this to turn into some sharing circle.”

“Too late…you already tipped your hand. You’re usually much more careful than this, Drake. Plus, you promised...it’s the whole reason I came.”

“The whole reason?” he asked while regarding her with a raised eyebrow.

“Ok…ok, maybe only a part of the reason.”

“Hmm…what is it about tonight that has me in the sharing mood?”

“Maybe the company?” Riley said, nudging Drake playfully as he tried to hide his smile.

“I want to give you a hard time, Nevin” he said. “But the truth is I’m just so damned glad to spend some time with you away from that circus.”

“Aww…Drake…kinda like, you know…a date” Riley said, reaching over and giving his hand a squeeze.

“Riiighht…anyway…” he said practically choking on his food and shaking his head, “I’ll tell you. Bastien was my father’s junior agent in the King’s Guard, so I’d see him around pretty often. He didn’t have any family at court, so he’d join us for dinner. He’d even watch me and Savannah sometimes when we were younger.”

“That’s so cute. How was he as a babysitter?”

“Surprisingly lenient. The opposite of how he is while on duty. He’d let us eat chocolate chip cookies and watch cartoons all night.”

“Wow…not how I’d picture Bastien!”

“I know, he’d surprise you. So…he and my father were close. I think when my father died on duty, Bastien took it upon himself to look out for me.”

“Oh, Drake, I can imagine how difficult that must have been for you.”

“It was hard but I got through it.”

“Tell me more about your father."

Drake hesitated briefly…all his good memories of his father, and there were plenty, had been clouded by the pain surrounding his death. When he lost his father, Drake felt like he had lost his history, his sense of self…he had lost the person meant to teach him how to be a man. But if anyone would understand that, it was Riley. “Tough, honest, with a firm but fair way of handling things. Growing up it seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t do. He worked hard and was loyal and he expected the same from me. Everything I am, I owe to him and his guidance.”

“You really looked up to him, didn’t you?”

“Yeah…if Savannah idolized the courtly life, I idolized him and the King’s Guard, he was my hero…kinda like you with your mom. Sometimes I can’t help but wonder how much more I could have learned from him” Drake said as he absentmindedly played with his pasta. “So yeah…Dad died. Mom eventually went back to the U.S. She was…struggling. Bastien was as present as he could be, but his duties kept him busy. I stayed at court with Savannah. Liam’s family kind of took us in.”

“Huh…so, even though you grew up there, you clearly don’t enjoy the courtly life. Which begs the question, do you actually _do_ anything at the palace?”

“I do lots of things. I do things all the time.”

“Like?”

“Er…well, it’s hard to put into a single title.”

“How about…trusted companion?”

“Kind of makes me sound like Liam’s dog…”

“That wasn’t how I meant it at all…don’t dodge the question.”

“Really, what does it matter?”

“Come on. I want to know what you do on an average day. It’s not all sulking at noble’s parties or avoiding them all together, is it? If that’s all there was to it, I know you…you would’ve left a long time ago.”

“I _did_ leave…for a while.”

“What? Really?”

“When I got older, I thought it was time to make it on my own. I went to college.”

“You didn’t want to join the King’s Guard?”

“They’re experienced security agents. I would’ve had to cut my teeth protecting some stuck up nobles first and the last thing I wanted was to follow nobles around. I decided to build a life away from court.”

“Did you go to college in Cordonia?”

“No…I went to the U.S.”

“Oh my god, really? Where?”

“Texas…I was close to my mom but still on my own.”

“What did you study?”

“I thought this was story time, not 20 questions, Nevin.”

“I just want to know you, Drake.”

“Ok…ok, I studied animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. My mom’s family owns a ranch. I figured that field could help on the ranch, or if I ended up back in Cordonia, I could run the stables.”

“So clearly, you ended up back in Cordonia. Is that what you do at the palace, run the stables?”

“No…I work there occasionally just to help out, but…I never finished my degree. And honestly, while I was away, I never thought I’d end up back there. Liam and I started to drift apart. I was finally living in the outside world, and he was busier than ever being introduced at court.”

“What happened?”

“Well… about a month after spring semester started in my final year, there was an assassination attempt on the royal family, including Liam.”

“No…” Riley said, shock on her face as tears welled in her eyes.

“The King’s Guard stopped it before anyone was injured, but it still shook Liam.”

“He never told me about this.”

“It doesn’t really come up in casual conversation.” Drake shrugged as Riley thought of how most of her conversations with Liam were just that…casual. “Besides,” Drake said, breaking her from thought, “I don’t think he wants to remember those times, it was rough. He seemed fine to most people, but his brother dropped by my campus one night in the royal family’s private jet asking if I could come back. He was worried about Liam. Behind closed doors, Liam wasn’t himself. He wasn’t eating and was growing distant. I knew I had to be there for him. Things were bad…he needed me.”

“Drake…I am sure that meant a lot to Liam. But, it must have been hard to give up your outside life, so close to being done school.”

“He told me not to worry about him and tried to convince me to go back but deep down I could tell he was relieved. He’s my best friend. I had to do it. After that, I never really left. When I saw how things were at court for Liam, I knew I couldn’t leave him to these sharks. Liam plays the game well, but his heart’s not in it. He’d rather focus on the needs of the Cordonian citizens than be reading press statements and attending parties. He needs someone cynical like me to have his back.”

Drake stared at the table for a moment, lost in thought. Riley reached for his hand again, taking it softly in her own. 

“It’s hard not to notice how tied you and Liam are” she observed, “but you always talk about him like you owe him.”

“I do! After all that he’s done for me, of course I do.”

“Friendships don’t work like that, Drake. You don’t keep track of whose done what for who. You just give from a place of love and respect and sometimes the things you give and receive aren’t quantifiable.”

“Quantifiable or not…I haven’t given him half of what he gave me.”

“You don’t see it, but you have…you look at the home he gave you, the food his family provided you and the countless material things you probably needed while growing up there and think you can’t repay it. But you already have, in non-material things” she said as she watched Drake avoid her gaze and shake his head. “You gave him a childhood…a safe place to have fun and be a kid despite the fact that he was surrounded by rules and tradition. You gave him the ability to just be Liam with you, not the prince or the king. You gave up your independence to come back and support him when his world was rocked and his family was threatened. Even his own brother couldn’t do that, which is why Leo came for you. You _are_ his brother, his family, his safe haven from the pressure and scrutiny of his life.”

“Nevin…” Drake said, finally looking up where Riley noticed the unmistakable wetness in his eyes, “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand how you always find the good in people with all the shit you have been through.”

“I wish you could see what I see and realize your own worth and what you bring to people’s lives…maybe if you did, you’d stop sacrificing your own happiness because you think you don’t deserve it.”

“For all the good you see…I could never live up to that image you have of me…guys like me don’t get the happy ending.”

“You already do live up to it. You’re a good man, Drake…a man your father would be proud of and you’re a good friend to Liam.”

Drake smiled at Riley half-heartedly, his eyes sweeping over her face hungrily. Baring pieces of his soul was foreign to him but it felt safe with her. Riley could look past the grumpy armor he used for protection. Despite the weight of their conversation, she looked at him with such gentle affection and he couldn’t hide the heat and desire in his return gaze, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.

“…Most of the time…” he said, as the magnetism between them grew.

Though the implications of his words were clear, Riley decided to forget his guilt and her own and leaned into Drake, pressing her body against his, kissing him sweetly, catching him off guard.

“Nevin…” he said in surprise, wiping at his eyes. Riley reached out and gently brushed his damp cheek with her finger tips before gliding her hand to grip his neck and pull him in for a deeper, more passionate kiss. 

“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that?” Drake said when they came up for air.

“You can’t just take me to dinner, pour your fluffy marshmallow heart out, and not expect me to fall a little more for you, Drake.”

“You’re right. What was I thinking?” he joked, leaning in for another kiss. They were lost in each other, only breaking apart when Lorenzo approached the table to leave the check. Looking around, they realized they were the last customers.

“We should probably go…thank you for a wonderful evening. I never thought I’d learn so much about the elusive Drake.”

“Yeah, sorry, it was a lot to drop on you all at once.”

“You’re kidding right? Look at all I have dropped on you.”

Riley reached for the check but Drake quickly threw his hand over hers to stop her. “Let me get this” he said.

“Did you just offer to pick up the check?”

“Well, yeah. I guess I did. It’s the least I can do after talking your ear off all night. I’m not the king or anything, but I can afford a handful of euros, Nevin.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Drake. I want you to share these things, share your feelings. I like this softer side of you.”

“This is my lowest low. What have you done to me, Nevin?”

“Nobody said it was bad that you’re soft.”

“Yeah, well at least the sob story didn’t bother you.”

“It could never bother me.”

“Thanks, Nevin. Let’s go, it’s getting late.”

“It was already late when we left…but you’re right. I’m full, now I might actually sleep well tonight.”

“You’re as good at avoiding things as I am Nevin. You never did tell me what was bothering you back on the train” Drake said as they walked back out into the streets.

“My night after the state dinner was…eventful” she said, looping her arm with Drake’s and leaning in as they walked. “Maxwell and I talked to the photographer.”

“Holy shit! That’s big, Nevin. I lost track of you when I was looking for her myself. What did you find out?”

“Not much, honestly. She had recorded our conversation tonight, but I took the recorder and gave it to Max to destroy. As for the photos, whoever hired her did it via email. She never met them or spoke to them on the phone. All she could give us was a receipt for the payment she received. Maxwell’s looking into it, hopefully it leads somewhere.”

“That’s great…but why would that stress you out?”

“It was intense…standing there face to face with her. I’ve never felt that kind of anger in my life…I wanted to hurt her.”

“But you didn’t…you couldn’t, it’s not who you are. Look at how you forgave Bertrand.”

“That’s different…Bertrand is family. _Rosanna_ ,” she said, practically spitting the name, “is one person I could never find the good in. She doesn’t care who she hurts as long as she gets paid. And then to give us nothing…”

Drake stopped and took Riley by the shoulders…“It might not seem like much but it’s more than you had to go on a few hours ago. Wait and see what comes of it.”

“I just hate not knowing…it could be another dead end” she said as they resumed their walk. “But…it wasn’t just that…when I bumped into you, I was coming back from seeing Liam.”

“Oh” Drake said, looking away. Riley felt his body tense up.

“Drake, it wasn’t like that.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation, Nevin.”

“No…but I _want_ to explain. He sent a message through Maxwell that he wanted me to meet him on the beach. I wasn’t going to go, I have made it clear that I won’t be a dirty secret and sneak around with him. I had no way of getting a message back to him though and didn’t feel right just standing him up; so I went. He wanted to take me to a grotto and talk about the future, but I told him no.”

“Why would you do that? You’re going to solve this and once it’s done…”

“Because once it’s done, _I_ get to decide what happens” she said, interrupting him. “I need to focus on clearing my name, he knows that. But also, because I…I told him…I told him I can’t talk about a future with him when I don’t think it’s what I want.” Riley looked up at Drake for a reaction, any indication that he understood why she felt that way, but his face was unreadable.

“And when he told me he loved me,” she continued, “well…I told him I care about him, but I couldn’t say what he wanted to hear. I wanted to tell him…” she stopped and pulled away from Drake as the train came into view.

“Tell him what?”

“Nothing…forget it.”

“Riley, don’t do that.”

“Don’t call me Riley!” she said, giving him a shove. “I can’t explain it, not in a way that makes sense. If you don’t know by now why I can’t promise him a future, well then, I don’t know how else to get through that thick skull of yours. But I didn’t have the words to tell him either” she said just as they stepped back on the train. “The point is, that’s why I was stressed, because I hurt him. So now you know.”

“I’m sorry…I wish you weren’t having to deal with _any_ of this” he said.

“Don’t feel sorry for me…I don’t deserve pity. It’s simple cause and effect Drake, my rash decision to come to Cordonia caused all of this.”

“No, that’s crap and you know it” he said, stopping her in the dining car so they could still talk away from the passenger cars. “Coming to Cordonia shouldn’t have meant that you’d face being assaulted and humiliated…your decision didn’t cause that, the stuck-up, shit people in this court did that.”

“But they wouldn’t have had the chance if _I_ hadn’t come. We can go around in circles on this, but you won’t change my mind…I opened myself up to this.”

“I’m sorry you regret coming then, but…I’m not sorry that it gave me the chance to know you.”

“I never said I regret it, I could never regret it with all that I’ve gained from coming, even with all this crap…the good outweighs the bad.”

“There’s that Nevin positivity again” he laughed.

“Uh huh” she said through a yawn.

“Let’s get you to bed” he said as he guided her through the halls until they reached her train car. “Hey, Nevin, thanks for coming with me tonight”

“Anytime, Drake” she replied as she pulled him into an embrace.

“G’nite, Nevin.”

Drake stood in the hall while she closed her door until he knew she had locked it. They might not be at Applewood but he still felt the need to keep her safe. Riley changed into a t-shirt and crawled into bed. Sleep came quicker than she anticipated but it was fitful, full of guilt-ridden dreams of hurting Liam and sneaking around with Drake.

\--------------------------------------------

As the sun came up, Riley woke to the sound of Maxwell pounding on her door. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she opened the door to find him smiling widely on the other side.

“Riley, I’ve got good news!”

“It damn well better be good…it’s too early and you are too fucking chipper.”

“It couldn’t wait…Bertrand scoured the receipt and was able to identify the last four digits of the credit card that was used to make the payment!”

Riley stood looking at Maxwell, perplexed…“Okaaay…and, do we know who it belongs to?”

“Err…no…But…remember what the maid back at Applewood Manor said? It has to belong to one of the noble ladies.”

“Maxwell, I wish I could join you in feeling like this is a big break but that’s still like a needle in a haystack.”

“A what in a what?” he said as confusion crossed his face.

“Really?” she asked as she watched him trying to make sense of her turn of phrase. “You’ve seriously never heard…never mind, it’s an expression. So, basically what you are saying is we have to gather all the noble ladies together and check their credit card numbers.”

“Exactly! Easy, right? This is the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for!”

“Sure, Maxwell…easy. But care to walk me through how we go about doing that?”

“Luckily step one has already been taken care of. All of the noble ladies will be gathered together tonight.”

“They will? For what?”

“Oh…yes, sorry. Did I forget to tell you? The next stop is Madeline’s bachelorette party.”

Riley’s expression changed to one of horror as the realization hit her…“Fuck…and you expect me to go?”

“I sure do, Sherlock!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes on my changes...I found the faux proposal plan to be silly. I admittedly tried to find another way to write it as you might have noticed last chapter with the photographer lurking while they confronted the Beaumonts about the tabloid photos but I never felt like I got it quite right and it cut out aspects of the story that I wanted to keep in so while I kept the element, I scrapped that being the catalyst for chasing her and continued with the proposal, making sure to note that Riley found it silly. 
> 
> My least favorite part of the game, if you are pursuing an LI other than Liam, is letting it go all the way to the proposal, so I didn't. It was too soon at this point to declare love for someone else, but I felt like it was a good place for her to at least be honest about doubts. 
> 
> And finally, I felt like the entire night out with Drake scene had choppy dialogue that bounced around and had random thoughts pop in where they didn't necessarily fit so while much of my dialog is canon, I did add some and change the flow. Thanks for reading!


	9. Hey Look Ma, I Made It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley lives out her dream of seeing Rome, even if it is in one jam-packed day. After seeing the city with those closest to her, she makes a new friend of the furry variety and prepares for the evening at Madeline's Bachelorette party. Everything about the plans for the evening feel like her own personal hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers! I hope you are all safe, healthy and well. 
> 
> When I set out to edit today's chapter to post, I realized it was ridiculously long (25 pages on Word) so I decided to break it into 2. This chapter is a mix of non-canon and canon. There seems to be a lot of "downtime" in canon...one minute Maxwell is waking you up and the next, its evening and you're getting ready. In my version of Book 1, and as you'll see again in later chapters here, I try to write content for that downtime to improve flow as well as for character and relationship development. Plus it makes retelling the story more fun and interesting. One of my favorite writers on AO3 is DalishEssence, (if you haven't read her stuff, do it now!) we seem to think along the same lines when it comes to things missing from canon and like her, I can't imagine traveling on the tour and not sightseeing...especially in Rome which is a bucket list trip for me someday (we'll also see some exploring when we get to Paris.) While some of the sights will be the same, since it is Rome after all and they are must see, it is not now, nor will it ever be, my intention to copy someone else's amazing work. Riley's backstory in this chapter about her missed opportunity to visit Rome while she was in high school is my own personal true story, and the chapter title is a nod to that. 
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Hey look Ma, I made it  
Everything’s coming up aces, aces  
If it’s a dream don’t wake me, don’t wake me  
I said hey look ma, I made it_

After dropping the bomb on Riley about Madeline’s bachelorette party, Maxwell departed with instructions to reconvene in the dining car for a strategy session in the late afternoon. With the early wake-up call, Riley still had most of the day to herself. She had no desire to be cooped up in the train all day when Italy was right outside her door. Rome had been one of her bucket list destinations since high school. In probably one of the only times she could remember feeling let down by her mom, she had missed the opportunity to travel to Rome as a junior. Her high school chose 3 student ambassadors each year to travel abroad and though Riley had the honor of being selected, her mom wouldn’t let her go.

After getting dressed in skinny jeans and a light pink, off-the-shoulder sweater, Riley fired off a group text to her friends.

**Riley: Guys…we have the day free and I _need_ to see more of Rome…who’s coming with me?**

While she waited for a reply, she grabbed her newsboy hat and a pair of sunglasses so she could explore incognito; even if her friends didn’t join her, she still planned to see all she could. As she stepped out of the train into the bright sunny day, she was googling sites and tours when her phone began to ping with messages.

**Hana: I’d love to join you!**

**Maxwell: Count me in, Blossom…what’s the plan?**

**Drake: Why the hell are you all up this early?**

Riley couldn’t help but laugh as she quickly typed out her reply.

**Riley: Blame the human alarm clock, Drake. Max woke me up over an hour ago. Are you coming or not?**

**Maxwell: Drake, Drake, Drake**

**Drake: Christ, you chant in text too? I’m coming…hold your horses.**

**Riley: Great! I’m in the square across the street from the train. Come meet me in 10 minutes!**

While she waited, Riley approached a street café hoping to get something light for breakfast. Unable to locate her go-to Chai Latte on the menu she settled for a caffe’ Ginseng which was very similar and added her own milk and some cinnamon to sweeten it up a bit since she hated coffee. A chocolate chip biscotti was the perfect compliment. While sitting at a café table enjoying her breakfast, she ordered various tour tickets online; a bright smile breaking out on her face when she saw her friends approaching.

“Riley!” Hana exclaimed. “This was a great idea. I can’t wait to see the city with you.”

“Aww…thanks for joining me guys, I’d hate to explore alone. Did you guys want to get anything before we head out?” Riley asked, gesturing to the café.

Once her friends all held steaming to-go cups of coffee, she laid out the plan for them.

“So…Max and I have a ‘Bertrand lecture’ scheduled for 4:30” she said. “I found an ‘Easy Going Rome in a Day’ itinerary online. Basically, we can hit six sites if we start right now. I already booked tickets and tour times…we’ll have to use a bit of public transportation since we’re on the outskirts of the city but, even that should be a fun experience” she explained with obvious excitement in her voice.

“Whatever you want, Nevin. We’ll follow you.”

Riley eagerly led her friends toward their first stop…The Sistine Chapel. While on the bus, Riley chatted non-stop about what the rest of the day would hold.

“Riley, you seem so over the moon with being here” Hana observed.

“I am! I won’t get to experience anywhere near as much I would have if I had spent a month here back in high school like I wanted to but honestly…once I lost that chance, I never thought I’d get here at all.”

“Why would you turn down the chance to spend a month here, Blossom?”

“I didn’t” Riley explained. “I got chosen to be a student ambassador but my mom wouldn’t let me come because she was a chronic worrier and didn’t want me flying across the ocean.”

“That’s an odd thing to worry about” Drake said.

“Not to her it wasn’t…not at the time anyway. The summer before I got chosen, a group of kids from a high school a couple hours away from us died when their plane exploded while bound for Europe. It was a freak accident, a mechanical issue, but it was enough for my mom to veto the trip to Rome.”

“Wow, way to bring down the mood, Nevin.”

“Hey, you asked!”

“Did I, though?”

“Ok, maybe not directly, but there was an implied question.”

“If you say so” Drake said as Maxwell and Hana looked on with knowing grins at Drake and Riley’s banter.

A few minutes later, they hopped off the bus and found themselves inside The Sistine Chapel. Since time was tight, Riley had booked an open tour of the chapel and St. Peter’s Square and Basilica with an audio guide so they didn’t have to stay with a timed tour group. Having Hana was almost better than the audio guide. While exercising their neck muscles to look up at the painted ceiling, she regaled Riley with tales of Michelangelo; how he never truly wanted to paint the ceiling and how contrary to popular belief…he was _not_ lying down while he painted. When Riley noticed what appeared to be a missing section of the art work, Hana told her of how the piece of plaster fell from that spot after an explosion at a nearby gunpowder depot. Riley was amazed at Hana’s knowledge and storytelling.

“Hana…I think you have found your calling. If you know this much about historical landmarks and events, you could totally be a tour guide. I bet your tours would sell out all the time because you have a way of making things even more fascinating than they already are.”

“You know, Riley…that’s not a bad idea. And I do know _a lot_ of Cordonian history. Since my mother grew up there, it was the focus of a lot of my studies.”

Maxwell and Drake hung back, chatting and taking photos as the girls continued to explore. After just over an hour inside the chapel, they moved on to St. Peter’s Square. They got pictures of the fountains and the obelisk, saw the balcony where the Pope addresses the crowds as well as the papal apartment before making their way into the Basilica. Riley was thrilled that they had timed their visit to the Basilica just right and she was able to witness the Crepuscular rays, or “god rays” as the sun beamed through the windows above the alter. While she was never a regular churchgoer, her belief system was strong and being inside the Basilica made her feel a peace that she hadn’t felt in a long time and it stayed with her throughout the day.

The afternoon flew by in a whirlwind. They visited Piazza Navona and Piazza Venezia before ending their day at the Colosseum. It was the perfect bookend after starting the day in Vatican City and the only guided tour Riley sprung for. To her delight, none of her friends had experienced the guided tour before so they all got to see the history from a new perspective. Their tickets got them access to the Third Ring and the underground. Hana stayed close to the tour guide and practically hung on his every word while Maxwell gave his camera a workout. Riley was pleased that when they were in the underground tunnels and went out onto the arena floor even Drake seemed mesmerized.

“My, my, my…do my eyes deceive me or is Drake Walker actually enjoying history?” she teased as she came up behind him marveling at a replica of the lift system from the underground.

“Very funny, Nevin. Your eyes are correct…I am actually enjoying this. I mean, I gotta admit, its kinda freaking cool that they had a man powered elevator.”

“I know…I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to lift animals twenty-four feet up to the arena floor. As barbaric as the fights were, the history of this place is fascinating. Even knowing some of it is a mere replication…it feels like stepping back in time.”

“Don’t go waxing poetic on me, Nevin.”

“Uh oh…moment over…grumpy Drake has returned” she said, nudging him playfully.

“You really love this stuff, don’t you?”

“I do…I minored in History in college…purely by accident mind you. I just gravitated toward those classes and ended up with enough credits to declare a minor but, I’ve always loved it. This is amazing though because its my first real taste of European history. I’ve been to sites all over the U.S. but seeing something like this…I always thought it would just be a dream.”

“You never cease to amaze me.”

“In what way?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Just when I think I have you all figured out…I learn something new.”

“What can I say…I’m complex, I have many layers” she said.

“Ogres are like onions” Maxwell exclaimed in a poor Scottish brogue coming up behind them with Hana in tow.

“What the hell are you talking about, Beaumont?”

“Shrek!” Riley and Maxwell exclaimed in unison before breaking into a fit of giggles.

“Still not following” Drake huffed as he and Hana looked at the giggling duo.

“You’ve never seen Shrek?” Riley asked.

“Nope!”

“Maxwell is quoting that movie, you’d have to see it to get it” she explained.

“Shrek says Ogres are like onions because they have many layers. But…wouldn’t Drake be the Ogre of our group, Blossom?”

Riley couldn’t contain herself as her giggles became full-blown hysterical laughter; she clutched her side while tears rolled down her cheeks watching Drake glare at Maxwell.

“Drake has layers too” she declared once she caught her breath. “And don’t forget…Princess Fiona turns out to be an ogre too. And she and Shrek live happily ever after” she said as she smiled wistfully up at Drake.

Drake shook his head and tried to hide his smile.

“Anyway guys, we came to find you because we have to head back, but…we never got a group shot today. What do you say, group selfie on the arena stage before we leave?”

“Nope…count me out” Drake said.

“Oh, come on Drake” Riley said, taking his hand to drag him back to the arena floor. “This day was awesome, we need a momento.”

“I don’t know why I ever bother to protest…you always get your way, Nevin.”

“Yep! Get used to it!”

Once they gathered on the arena stage, Maxwell stood on the end so he could extend his selfie stick, with Hana immediately to his left, followed by Riley and then Drake on the other end. As they squeezed together to all get in the frame, Riley wrapped her arms around Drake’s waist and he threw his arm over her shoulder.

“Perfect!” Maxwell declared. “Let’s go!”

\------------------------------------------------

With hopping the bus back to the train, they made it in plenty of time for Riley to meet up with Bertrand. Maxwell made up an excuse not to attend after ushering Riley to the dining car where Bertrand was already huddled with Justin.

“Countess Madeline invites all of Cordonia to glimpse her bachelorette celebration” Justin said, reading from _Trend Magazine_. “‘The events of the evening will kick off with an exclusive photo shoot and interview with the queen-to-be and her party.’ What do you say to that Riley?” he asked as she took the seat across from him.

“I say it’s not surprising that Madeline wants her bachelorette party to be a press junket. The concept of fun is completely lost on her. I also say, why the hell are you making me go to this?”

“What? You don’t think artfully navigating and subverting the subtleties of interviews designed to paint you in an unflattering light is fun? Suit yourself. Lucky for you, it’s my bread and butter, and I’ll be there the whole time to help.”

“Madeline invited you to her bachelorette party?”

“I wish! No, we’ll have help from this” he said, producing a small device from his pocket. “It’s an earpiece. As long as you wear it, I’ll be in your head.”

“Wow…you in my head…just what I’ve always wanted. How did you ever know?”

“Don’t get smart about this, Lady Riley” Bertrand scolded.

“Fine” she said, rolling her eyes. “What is the point of this?”

“To help you impress Ana de Luca, of course” Justin explained.

“And don’t forget about the investigation” Bertrand added.

“As if I could” Riley said.

“Having Justin in your ear to focus on your image will be helpful while you focus on looking for clues. Be on the lookout for any openings to identify the ladies credit cards and compare them to the last four digits of the card used to pay the photographer. The numbers are 6547 but here, I wrote it down it lest you forget” Bertrand said, handing her a small slip of paper. “And, Riley, perhaps this will be hard for you to hear, but…you can’t rule Hana out just yet.”

“What?” Riley exclaimed. “Hana would never betray me!”

“Be pragmatic, Riley. She is a noble lady with every bit as much motive to remove you from the picture as any other. Or have you forgotten that her future rests on her success in court?”

“I can’t believe you’d even suggest such a thing Bertrand, she’s your friend too!”

“I am merely suggesting that you find evidence to rule her out. We _have_ to be sure. Who do you suspect the most?”

“Madeline…she is clearly the one who gained the most and if anyone had the means and motive to get me out of the picture, it’s her.”

“With any luck, we will know for certain by the end of the night.”

“Anything else I should know before I’m off to my own personal hell?”

“Just one thing…” Bertrand started.

“Madeline asked each of the ladies in her court to plan an activity for her bachelorette party” Justin finished.

“And I’m just finding out about this now? Shocking…classic Madeline setting me up to look like a fool. Clearly, I haven’t prepared anything.”

“Of course you haven’t” Justin said. “And why should you? You’ve got people like me to do it for you!”

“You? You planned a bachelorette activity?”

“Bertrand had me conduct market research and based on the results, I have prepared two options for you to pick from. You have VIP reservations at the two hottest clubs in town…an underground lounge and a rooftop night spot, with a pool. Just say the word and we’ll lock in your plans, including ensuring top-level security for the event.”

“Hmmm…would it be wrong to consider which one Madeline would hate more? Honestly, I don’t see her as a club person regardless so I’m sure I’ll piss her off either way. Let’s go with the rooftop pool, it sounds posh and relaxed.”

“Great choice” Justin said.

“Ok..now that that’s settled, I’m off to get…” Riley was cut off as the door flew open and Maxwell came bounding in to the car carrying a wiggling bundle of fur.

“What is that?” Bertrand exclaimed.

The fluffy fur ball lifted its head from the crook of Maxwell’s arm and barked at Bertrand.

“A corgi” Maxwell exclaimed, dancing with joy. “I was taking an afternoon walk to stretch out the detective muscles when I came across this little guy all alone on the sidewalk. He looked so sad. But then I walked up to him and he said ‘Hi Maxwell, please take me home and love me and play with me every day and I promise I’ll be your best friend!’”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Maxwell…dogs can’t talk” Bertrand said.

“He said it with his eyes…and his wiggling tail. I’ve always wanted a little buddy like this to play fetch and tug-o-war with, my parents said I had to settle for Bertrand” Maxwell said to Riley. “This is the smartest and the cutest and the best dog in the world. Can we please keep him? Please?”

“Do you have any idea how much it costs to maintain those…those _things_? We’re already scraping the bottom of the barrel to pay for Justin as it is.”

“Look at his face” Maxwell said, holding the dog out to Bertrand.

“Look at Justin’s face. And he doesn’t need shots.”

“Actually…” Justin said.

“Please tell me you aren’t in need of vaccinations” Bertrand said, turning to him in surprise.

“Hah…no, not that. It’s the dog. He isn’t a bad idea…for Riley. People love people who love animals. This could really endear Riley to the press. I’m seeing a centerpiece in _Trend Magazine_ already.”

“I did hire you to help me, yes?” Bertrand asked, clearly annoyed. “Not to contradict me and spend what little money I have on this frivolity.”

“Well…I do have experience with dogs” Riley offered. “I always had dogs growing up and even had my own precious baby till just last year. I had been waiting for the right time to adopt another one. What if I take care of him?”

“Yeah! And I can be the best doggie uncle!” Maxwell declared.

“And you would pay for his food and…litter, or whatever it is he needs?” Bertrand asked.

Riley laughed…“No litter required, Bertrand. But yes, I will pay for his needs and take the very best care of this little guy.”

Riley took the puppy from Maxwell and was showered with puppy kisses as he wagged his tail.

“So…first things first…I think we need to give this little guy a name” she declared.

“Allow me to submit _Sir Wigglesworth_ for your consideration” Maxwell said.

“Might I suggest, Chance” Justin offered. “It will show the people that you provided this puppy with a chance by adopting him as well as serve as a reminder of the second chance you are seeking.”

“Hmmm…it’s cute, but…not everything is about my image. I’m adopting him because I want to, not as a press strategy. I plan to have him for a long time and once this is over, I want to put it behind me, so I don’t need his name to be a constant reminder. I think I am going to call him ‘Fletcher’.”

“I like it, Fletcher of House Beaumont” Maxwell said.

“Actually, his full name will be Sir Fletcher Reid Nevin of House Beaumont…but we’ll call him Fletcher or Fletch!”

“He’s rather cute, isn’t he?” Bertrand said, smiling down at Fletcher.

“As long as you aren’t footing the bill, you can appreciate him, huh?” Riley said sarcastically.

“Precisely” Bertrand replied.

“You should be off, Riley. You have to meet the other ladies for the first bachelorette event” Justin said.

“But I haven’t changed.”

“That’s part of the first event…off you go!”

Riley slipped in the ear piece, picked up Fletcher and made her way to the Beaumont limo. She provided the driver with the address of the boutique where she was to meet the ladies and asked that he find somewhere along the route to stop for a collar and leash for Fletcher. After a quick stop at the pet store, Riley was dropped off at a chic Italian boutique where she found Hana inside, already dressed and sifting through racks of gorgeous dresses.

“Riley! I’m so glad to see you arrived early too!” Hana exclaimed when she saw Riley approaching.

“Hana, you don’t look like you need to be shopping. That dress is amazing!”

Hana twirled to show of her shiny, silver mini-dress… “I’m just lucky I already had something that fits Madeline’s metallic theme. Now I’m looking for you.”

“Seriously? There’s a theme? This just gets better and better. I wonder what else I don’t know about this shit show” Riley lamented as Hana’s jaw dropped. “Sorry…there I go spouting off again. I’m just frustrated. I didn’t even know about this until last night, then I found out about the planned activities less than an hour ago and now the ‘theme’, I hate being kept in the dark” Riley explained as Fletcher peeked out from behind her legs and let out a little bark at Hana.

“Is that a puppy?” Hana exclaimed as she crouched down to greet Fletcher.

“Yes, here I am just going on and on and I forgot about the most important news. Hana, meet Fletcher.”

“He’s adorable, Riley! When did this happen?”

“Also about an hour ago. Maxwell found him and wanted to keep him…of course Bertrand said no. Justin suggested I adopt him as part of this whole ‘image campaign’ which, sure, fine…if it helps it helps but really, I just couldn’t bear the thought of sending him back out into the street or to a shelter.”

“So, he’s joining the festivities tonight?”

“At least for the photoshoot…Justin’s idea. I’m not sure what the other activities will be so, I don’t know if he’ll be able to come with us anywhere else.”

“Well…I can’t speak for what the other ladies have planned, but I am so excited! I have never been to a bachelorette party before, but I did a lot of research. I watched all thirteen seasons of _The Bachelorette_!”

“Wow…um…so many questions, like where did you find the time for that? But, um…the show is a little different than an actual bachelorette party…”

“I spent all night planning my date! We’re going to a chocolate shop to have fondue.”

“Your date?”

“For me and Madeline. Or is it for all of us? And where are the bachelors? I am a bit confused about who the contestants are. Are we the bachelors?”

“What? Hana…no. Oh honey, _The Bachelorette_ is about a single woman looking for love…this isn’t that. I am sure your plan will be fine for an activity but it’s not a ‘date’” Riley explained. Before Riley could explain any further, the shop door swung open and Madeline strolled in with Penelope and Kiara tagging along like puppies… _“at least Fletcher won’t seem so out of place”_ Riley thought to herself.

While they were dressed in their normal clothes, it was clear that all three ladies had had their hair and makeup professionally done for the occasion.

“Ah, you’re already here. Excellent” Madeline said as she tossed her bags on a nearby chair and immediately went to the racks, barely regarding Riley and Hana. Penelope and Kiara joined Hana and Riley and in the midst of the small talk, Penelope caught sight of Fletcher laying quietly at Riley’s feet. Her eyes lit up and she smiled the widest, most genuine smile Riley had ever seen from her in all the months they had known each other. In an instant, she was crouched down to Fletcher’s level, looking pleadingly up at Riley.

“M-may I pet him?” she asked.

“Of course!” Riley said. “Penelope, meet Fletcher.”

Penelope extended her hand gingerly toward Fletcher, offering it for him to sniff. His tail began wagging with enthusiasm as he licked her hand causing her to giggle in delight.

“Aren’t you a handsome little gentleman?” she cooed.

“Are we quite finished with this?” Madeline shouted from the racks where she had finally turned to acknowledge everyone. “Lady Penelope has kindly arranged this private shopping excursion in the most exclusive boutique in Italy and I don’t want to waste it fawning over some mangy animal.”

“Of course, Madeline. This is your night, after all” Riley said, the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“Indeed, it is. To that end, everyone should select a metallic dress. We should all _shine_ tonight.”

“I called ahead and had them put aside all of their metallic options” Penelope said.

All of the ladies gathered at the racks of specially selected dressed. Madeline and Kiara made quick work of selecting options and carried various dresses to the fitting room. Moments later, while Riley continued to browse, they stepped out, both decked out in gold. Madeline’s dress was a spaghetti-strap, low-cut, sequin mini-dress…much more risqué than anything Riley had ever seen her in before. Kiara wore a more modest A-line faux wrap dress with an empire waist. While Riley would never admit it out loud, they both looked stunning.

“You both look amazing” Hana declared, clearly the nice one in their friendship. “I can’t wait to see us all dressed up together.”

“Yes, we’ll look even better when _everyone_ is dressed, won’t we” Madeline said glaring at Riley and Penelope who were still in their casual clothes. “Ana de Luca is sure to adore it.”

“Riley…here!” Hana exclaimed. “I found a dress you absolutely _have_ to try on!”

Riley took the sleek gold bandage dress from Hana only to be startled by the voice of Justin in her ear. It took everything in her not jump with surprise as she walked to the dressing room.

 _“I can’t see it”_ Justin said, _“but if I know Lady Hana, it’s sure to be spectacular. I suggest you go for it. Don’t stand out…Outshine!”_

Riley pulled on the dress and regarded herself in the mirror. It had never been like her to be cocky but she had to admit, if the goal was to outshine Madeline, this dress would surely do it.

“You were right, Hana. This dress is perfect!” she said as she stepped out with a flourish.

“You look absolutely stunning” Hana said.

“I’m pleased to see you’re learning to follow instructions” Madeline said, the indignation on her face obvious to everyone. “Penelope,” she said, turning to the woman still in her signature purple gown, “was something about my party theme unclear to you? Why aren’t you dressed?”

“I…I waited too long to call about the reservation, and they didn’t have anything metallic left in my size.”

“I can hardly find this surprising, but I do find it extremely disappointing.”

“The night is still young, Madeline. We’ll have lots of fun” Kiara tried to reassure her. “Let’s head to my event now. We don’t want to be late for the photoshoot with _Trend Magazine_.”

Madeline retrieved the bags she had discarded earlier on the chair and headed for the door, stopping to throw an expectant look over her shoulder to ensure her ‘entourage’ was dutifully following.

“I just have to pay for your dress, Madeline. It’s my gift.”

“And there’s not even a poodle on it. I guess I should be grateful” she scoffed as she thrust the door open.

Riley noted the opportunity presenting itself to hopefully get a look at Penelope’s credit card and opted to stay behind while Kiara and Hana followed Madeline.

“Want some company, Penelope? I still have to pay for my dress…and maybe we can see if they have something slightly off size that we can make work for you.”

“That would…be really nice, actually.”

Riley moved back to the racks and quickly found a silver A-line dress just one size up from Penelope’s. Handing the dress to Penelope to try on, she headed to the accessories rack and found a wide, silver chain-link belt. When Penelope stepped out the fitting room, Riley wrapped the belt around her waist at it’s narrowest point, cinching it tight to disguise the excess fabric. With the belt in place, the bust of the dress was perfectly fitted while the excess fabric fell below it simply giving the already A-line skirt a fuller look. Penelope took in her reflection and smiled before turning and surprising Riley with a hug.

“You’re a genius” she declared. “I never would have thought of doing this.”

“I just have a flair for fashion” Riley shrugged. “Come on, let’s go pay.”

They headed for the register with Fletcher in tow. Riley was feeling very pleased with herself. She easily could have just gone to the register without helping Penelope find a dress and hoped for a glimpse of the credit card. Now, with her act of kindness, genuine as it was, she felt she had a better chance of Penelope letting her guard down so she could sneak a peek.

Penelope handed the tags for her own dress and Madeline’s to the cashier while Riley stood closely beside her.

“It’s really kind of you to buy Madeline’s dress for her” Riley said.

“Oh…um…sure. Anything to get on her good side” Penelope said hesitantly. “Though, this should help now” she said gesturing to her own dress with a smile and pulling her wallet from her bag. In a stroke of luck, her wallet was angled toward Riley as she slid her credit card from it’s slot to hand to the waiting cashier. Riley was easily able to see that the last four digits were 2302…not a match. Satisfied to have ruled out Penelope, Riley handed over the tag for her dress and her card just as the door flew open behind them.

“Penelope, Riley! Let’s not keep Ana de Luca waiting” Madeline hollered before noticing Penelope’s dress. “Well, well, well…I supposed this was your doing” she said, eyeing Riley “it appears you both aren’t completely hopeless. Now let’s go!”

Riley hurriedly snatched her receipt from the cashier’s hand and raced after Madeline to the waiting limo, silently praying that the hell of dealing with Madeline would be worth it in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing for Maxwell and Riley together, in a friends/siblings way...I see them as being very much alike...goofy and fun loving so they seem like the type that would randomly quote movies like I do with my own brother and just say all around silly things sometimes. More of their movie quoting antics coming up in later chapters.


	10. What You Feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley continues her investigation through the events of the bachelorette party with a little help from Olivia. When Hana's event get ruined, her friends come to the rescue. At the end of the night, Riley finally makes a discovery and its not what she was expecting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_What you feel, what you know  
You’re not in control,  
If you just let it go,  
There’s a peace you’ll know  
  
_

After a short ride through the city, the limo pulled up to the studio that _Trend_ had secured for the press event. Ana de Luca was inside, dressed in her usual sleek suit, waiting to greet the ladies.

“Ms. de Luca” Madeline said eagerly approaching her, “I am _so_ please that Lady Kiara was able to arrange this event.”

“I was elated when Kiara’s mother called me. I can’t refuse an old friend a little favor…and an exclusive peek at the royal bachelorette festivities was too good to pass up. Let’s begin with the photoshoot for the feature, shall we? You all look marvelous!”

Ana worked diligently to arrange the ladies in front of the backdrop where the cameras were poised and at the ready. Riley was moving into position as instructed while still clutching tightly to Fletcher’s lease when her head was once again flooded with Justin’s voice.

 _“Use that dog”_ he said. _“You’ll get a lot of mileage out of that little guy.”_

Riley wished more than anything that she had a video connection so she could flip Justin off but listened to his instructions nonetheless. Once she was in position, she careful guided Fletcher to a place at her feet. A photographer stepped up to the camera and began counting down from three to prep the group for the shot. When he reached one…Riley gracefully crouched down to pose with Fletcher who was masterful in focusing on the camera and showing off his happy disposition.

“What an impressive doggy” Ana declared as she admired the photo captured on the digital camera screen.

“That’s my Fletcher” Riley said proudly.

“You’re both naturals” Ana said, turning the screen so the group could see the photo. “And I have to say, Lady Riley’s dress is absolutely stunning in this lighting.”

Riley beamed and suppressed a laugh when she saw the scowl that crossed Madeline’s face, while once again enduring the auditory assault of Justin’s voice.

 _“What’d I tell you about the dress? You fit in and stand out!”_ he declared.

With photos complete, Ana guided the ladies to a grouping of high stools set-up for the interview segment of the feature. “Time for a few questions” she said. “Countess Madeline, tell me…why do you allow Lady Riley at court after everything that has happened?”

Riley kept a trained smile on her face, not at all surprised that Ana went right to the drama rather than exchanging fake pleasantries about the tour and upcoming wedding.

“Honestly, it’s water under the bridge” Madeline replied. As usual, Madeline took the opportunity to make herself look good…the magnanimous future monarch, forgiving Riley for her ‘sins’. _“Oh Madeline, you are so full of shit”_ Riley thought. Even Ana seemed surprised at the answer.

“Really?” she asked. “The scandal, the pictures…none of that concerns you?”

“To be frank, the way the press has treated Lady Riley and dragged her name through the mud is shameful. And furthermore, where is the ire directed at Tariq? The media has been conspicuously silent on his role in the whole ordeal.” For a moment, she almost had Riley believing her…but only for a moment, until she continued. “Wouldn’t Cordonia be better served if the focus were on the bright future King Liam and I are building for our people?”

Madeline’s intentions were immediately clear…by feigning forgiveness and empathy for Riley she was telling the press to shut up about Riley and focus on her. It was her way of reclaiming the spotlight that she felt Riley had stolen from her.

“You have…given me a lot to think about, Countess Madeline” Ana stammered, trying to make sense of Madeline’s declaration.

Ana turned her attention to questions for Kiara, giving Riley the opportunity to speak with Madeline.

“That was some performance” she whispered. “You almost had me convinced.”

“I don’t expect you to believe me” Madeline said. “But it wasn’t for show, I meant what I said.”

“I supposed you’re waiting for my gratitude.”

“Oh, please…clearly if you don’t believe me, your gratitude would be meaningless. Besides, I didn’t do it for you. That’s just honestly how I feel. And a word of advice for your own sake” she continued, “always tell the press your motives are in support of King Liam, or of Cordonia. The moment you seem to do something for yourself, they will dismiss you as selfish or arrogant. After all, ‘a woman ought to know her place’. You can either wield that weapon yourself or let them use it against you.”

As Riley contemplated Madeline’s words, Justin’s voice once again broke through.

_“Madeline’s logic is a bit twisted, but there is truth in what she says. It might serve you to play into the media’s expectations.”_

“Well, thank you Madeline but I think I’ve done nothing but show my support of King and country since I returned to court. In all my interactions with the press, I have never made proving my innocence the obvious focus” she said, her response as much to Justin as it was to Madeline. “I do so appreciate the support though” she finished sarcastically just as Ana turned her attention back.

“Your turn, Lady Riley” Ana said. “It’s been over a month since the Coronation and you have yet to directly address any of the allegations against you…a secret identity, a volatile past, multiple lovers while vying for the hand of the King…is there anything you’d care to share with the people of Cordonia?”

 _“Remember, this is Madeline’s day”_ Justin interjected in her ear.

“There will come a time to address that, Ana…but today is not that time. This is Madeline’s day”

“Fair point, Lady Riley. I look forward to hearing your side when that time comes. Now, since as you noted, this is the Countess’s day…What do you think of our queen-to-be?”

_“Don’t be too hard on her or they’ll turn on you like the wolves they are.”_

If she could have done it without being obvious, Riley would have ripped out the earpiece right then and there. She was tired of being treated as though she didn’t know how to handle herself with the press and the public.

“While we were competitor’s during the social season, I respect Madeline’s tenacity. She is strong and intelligent, making her suited for fulfilling the duties of her place as the woman beside the King…I know she will be good for Cordonia. She was King Liam’s choice for a reason and he will always have my support” Riley answered, staying on message while taking a veiled stab at Madeline’s advice about ‘a woman’s place’.

If Ana picked up on the stab, she certainly didn’t show it. “Putting your differences aside for King and Country. Very genteel” she praised. “This will be a great addition to the feature.”

 _“Atta girl”_ Justin exclaimed.

“Thank you for your time, Lady Riley” Ana said. “This has been extremely interesting! My readers are going to eat this up. And _you_ are going to shine in it. Oh, and do bring your dog in for a shoot sometime. He sure knows how to work a camera.”

Riley relished in the outcome of the interview. Madeline had tried her best to turn the spotlight back to herself but Riley had been effective in ensuring public opinion continued to sway in her favor. While it didn’t matter to her if they’d ever see her as fit to be queen, she knew it would go a long way in the campaign to clear her name once the they found the evidence they needed. Madeline’s displeasure however, was obvious when she stalked away to gather her things.

“Come” she commanded as if the ladies were her dogs, “it’s time to go see what Lady Riley has planned for the evening. Chop chop, ladies.”

Riley was gathering her things and putting Fletcher back on his leash when Justin once again came over the earpiece.

_“That’s a wrap. You’ve finished your public appearance for the evening. I don’t need to tell you how to enjoy yourself at a party. Over and out.”_

Riley breathed a sigh of relief at his sign off and while looking around to ensure she wasn’t being watched, she discreetly removed the earpiece and tossed it into her clutch. She hurriedly followed the rest of the group to the waiting limo and leaned forward to provide the driver with the club address. Everyone enjoyed a ‘pre-game’ glass of champagne while the limo whipped through the city street in a flash and pulled up to the modern glass and steel high-rise with the club on the roof deck. Riley checked into the hostess stand and they were quickly escorted to the VIP booth that Justin had reserved. As Riley expected, the group of noble women seemed put off by the club atmosphere with the exception of Penelope who was excited by the music, drinks and hordes of men.

“So…I take it none of you have ever been to a club before?” Riley said, taking in their reactions. Kiara and Penelope simply shook their heads.

“We don’t all have the luxury of engaging in such gauche behavior, Lady Riley” Madeline replied.

“Well, this is going to be fun” Riley said, secretly taking pleasure in Madeline’s ire over the venue. “Prepare yourselves, ladies…we’re in for a big night.”

They all settled into the booth and Riley noticed Kiara sitting apart from the group looking forlorn. She scooted over to where the Kiara was sitting, hoping to create an opportunity for the investigation.

“Hey Kiara.”

“Oui? Can I help you?”

“Well…” she said, trying to think of something on the fly, “actually you can. This is so embarrassing but since this is my event, I should buy the first round of drinks, but…I think I lost my credit card somewhere between the boutique and here.”

“You’re worse than Penelope” she huffed. “I’m surrounded by idiots” she said while rifling through her purse. “Here!” she groaned, shoving the card into Riley’s hand. Riley smiled, thankful her ploy had worked and looked down at the card for the last four digits…8914, not a match.

She stood to head to the bar before turning around to complete the final step of her swiftly concocted plan, feigning forgetfulness.

“You know what?” she said, returning to where Kiara sat scowling at the crowd, “I just remembered, I put mine in a different pocket in my clutch. It’s my first time carrying it…silly me. All good, here you go.”

Riley grabbed her clutch and turned back to the bar, running smack dab into Olivia.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here” Olivia said.

“Olivia! What are you doing here? How did you know we were here?”

“Surprised to see me? Perhaps that’s because I wasn’t invited.”

“Nonsense” Madeline said, walking up to join them. “You’re welcome to join us. I simply didn’t think you were still up for the rigors of court.”

Riley hurried to the bar to order drinks for the table and request a server, slightly annoyed that one hadn’t appeared at what was supposed to be a VIP table. When she returned, Olivia had settled in and Madeline was sitting on the end of the booth, clutching her gold purse to her side. Her mind went into overdrive for yet another plan to continue her investigative efforts. Much to her surprise, the universe seemed to provide the opening she needed.

“I am going to run to the ladies room” Madeline announced. “I expect champagne on the table when I return.”

“Drinks are ordered and we should be getting a server” Riley replied. “I can hold your purse while you’re gone” she said perhaps too eagerly.

“And why would I need you to do that?”

“It’s just something girls do for each other when their friends.”

“How touching that you consider me a friend” she replied haughtily. “I’ll have Kiara accompany me. Kiara, come.”

Kiara dutifully stood at Madeline’s command while Olivia eyed Riley suspiciously.

“I guess I’ll go get the drinks” Penelope said.

“Oh, Penelope, wait…didn’t you…” Riley started.

“Where is it?” Penelope cried, interrupting Riley as she sifted through her purse.

“Where is what?” Hana asked.

“My card…I must have left it at the shop when I bought the dresses.”

“Don’t worry Penelope…we’ll call there to ask about it” Riley said. “I already bought the first round anyway.”

“And the next one’s on me!” Olivia said. “Since the service here is clearly lacking, I’ll go place the order now so we get it sometime tonight. Riley, come help me.”

“You need help placing a drink order?”

“Yes…now!” Olivia demanded. Riley scurried to her feet and rushed after Olivia.

“What are you up to?” Olivia asked, whirling around to face Riley when they reached the bar.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb, it’s not becoming. I heard you talking to Kiara when I was walking up and I just witnessed your pathetic attempt to get your hands on Madeline’s purse. You’re trying to look at everyone’s credit cards” she said matter of factly.

“I…” Riley stammered.

“Really? You’re going to continue the dumb act? Knock it the hell off, it’s demeaning to us both. Here,” she said handing Riley her purse. “Go through my bag. Maybe that will prove that you can trust me so we don’t have to keep up this petty, juvenile routine.”

“Olivia…I trust you. I don’t need to look.”

Olivia was unable to hide her surprise. “Really? You trust me? Why? Because I poured my heart out to you and offered you my purse? Maybe this stupidity isn’t an act…Riley, I’m trying to like you, but you’ve got to stop doing extremely dumb things. You’re so lucky you have me to help you.”

“You think I’m stupid to trust you? Olivia, I saw the letters you received, on the same paper, written in the same hand as the one I got. Even if you hated me enough to get me out of the way, I know without a doubt you’d never fake your own blackmailing to do it. What would you have to gain if you removed _yourself_ from the running? You love Liam, you wouldn’t walk away unless the blackmail was real.”

“Nevertheless, you should always gather _all_ of the facts. Clearly, it’s a good thing I am here.”

“I won’t argue with you there…we need each other.”

“Correction, _you_ need _me_.”

“I’m regretting this already.”

“First, the facts” she said, shoving her card into Riley’s hand. As Riley expected, the last four digits were 5956…not a match. “Now that that’s handled” Olivia said, snatching her card back, “you get everyone dancing. I’ll do the rest.”

Olivia quickly turned and demanded champagne. They took the bottle and glasses back to the table, thankfully before Madeline returned since Riley’s original order still hadn’t shown up. Riley filled the glasses and passed them around the table, with Madeline snatching the last one right from her hand as she returned.

“Finally…so far this activity is lackluster, Riley. What’s next?”

“Now that we have drinks, next we should dance!” Riley declared.

“We can’t just leave the champagne” Penelope exclaimed.

“Good point” Riley replied with a wink to Olivia. They both made a show of knocking back their full glasses in one shot. The other ladies quickly followed suit and Riley led them to the pool-side dance floor. They joined the other club goers already bopping to the beat of the club mix. Riley decided that this was her opportunity to rule out Hana, and danced her way over to her friend, away from the other ladies.

“Riley! This is so much fun!”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself! Listen, not to rain on this party but…I have to talk to you about something.”

“What is it? Is everything ok?”

“Well…last night at the end of the dinner, Maxwell and I were able to corner the photographer.”

“That’s great! Did you get any evidence?”

“Nothing concrete…which is kinda what I wanted to talk about…please don’t hate me.”

“Riley, I could never hate you, you’re my best friend.”

“And you’re mine…which is why what I am about to say, really, really fucking sucks. So…the photographer gave us a copy of the receipt for the payment she received in exchange for the photos. The only thing Bertrand was able to pull from it was the last four digits of a credit card number. Since we know from the maid at Applewood that a noble lady orchestrated Tariq coming to my room, the logical conclusion would be that the card used belongs to the same noble lady. All night, I’ve been trying to find ways to look at people’s cards to compare the numbers. I hate…hate to even ask…”

“You want to see my credit card?”

“Yes” Riley said, nodding sheepishly. “I swear to GOD Hana, I know it wasn’t you but Bertrand insists that I have to rule out all possibilities.”

“I get it, Riley.”

“You do?”

“Of course, here” she said, producing her card. 1813…not a match.

“I told Bertrand you could be trusted” Riley said, handing the card back. “I’m so sorry.”

“Riley, I would have done the same thing in your shoes, asked even though I knew the answer. I’m glad you had faith in me.”

Riley and Hana embraced before rejoining the rest of the ladies in the middle of the dance floor. Olivia spied that Riley had returned and shot Riley a telling look, gesturing slightly toward Madeline. Riley picked up on the signal and watched as Olivia set her plan in motion. She began moving erratically around the dance floor, as if her single glass of champagne had been the whole bottle, and she was headed straight for Madeline.

“Miss Maiddy laddy” she slurred. “Er, I mean, _Baronessss_ Maddy.”

“Drunk already, are we, Olivia?”

“I’m not drunk, you’re drunk, you…” Olivia clumsily moved to shove Madeline but instead, stumbled forward, grabbing Madeline’s arm to steady herself and sending the contents of Madeline’s bag flying across the floor. Riley watched as if in slow motion while Madeline’s credit card skid toward her. She dove for the card and quickly looked at the number…7749, not a match.

Riley gasped and couldn’t hide the shock on her face as she glanced at Olivia and subtly shook her head. She had been _so_ sure it was Madeline, discovering that it wasn’t felt like a punch in the gut. Five other suitors, five credit cards and not a single match. _“I’m missing something”_ she thought to herself. _“I have three cards…what if they have more? It was hard enough to get a look at one…this is hopeless.”_

Dejected, Riley made her way over to where Olivia and Madeline were arguing so she could return the card.

“Olivia, you are an embarrassment to Cordonia and to yourself” Madeline shouted over the music. “Have you no sense of decorum whatsoever?”

“Whatever, Maddy” Olivia said dismissively.

“Here, Madeline” Riley said, handing her the card.

“Thank you, Riley” she said as she stuffed the card back in her purse. “At least _someone_ here has managed to retain control of herself.”

Madeline walked off in a huff while Olivia regarded Riley with a smug smirk on her face.

“You’re welcome. So, that didn’t look like success from where I stood.”

“Well, I saw one card from each lady and none were a match, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have others.”

“You also only looked into the ladies here tonight. It could literally be any other random lady at court. If the suitor looking to oust you didn’t want to get her own hands dirty, she could have enlisted anyone.”

“Gee…thanks, Olivia. I hadn’t considered that…not helpful!” Riley hissed.

“What’s not helpful is ignoring the facts. This is only a little setback. I am not going to let your lack of imagination stop this investigation in it’s tracks. We will find the culprit…I’ve already selected which dagger I’ll use when we do. In the meantime, we might as well enjoy the party.

The group of ladies bounced back and forth between the booth and the dance floor, enjoying the music and several more drinks. While they all took a breather, a server finally appeared at their table for the first time all night with a round of fresh champagne. When they all had glasses in hand, Penelope proposed a toast.

“Alright! A toast to Madeline!” Riley declared. They all raised their glasses in unison as Madeline basked in the attention. Once the toast was over, Kiara suggested a selfie. When there was disagreement on how to pose, Riley took the high road and sided with Madeline, to pose prim and proper. They gathered tightly in the booth with Madeline at the center. Riley snapped the photo and passed it around the table for the ladies approval. When it got to Madeline, she surprisingly smiled.

“I must say, you are all a compliment to my elegance and grace in this picture. It will make a wonderful momento.”

“So…it seems like things are winding down here” Hana said. “Is everyone ready for dessert?”

“Dessert?” Kiara asked.

“It’s my part of the evening. But I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”

“I’m intrigued to see what you have planned, Lady Hana. Let’s be off” Madeline said

After another short limo ride, Hana ushered them all into a small confectionary shop.

“Here we are! I’m sorry I forgot the roses” she said. Riley gently nudged Hana and shook her head, not wanting her friend to embarrass herself.

“How very… _sweet_ ” Olivia mused.

“Is everyone staying, or are you going to eliminate someone now? I wasn’t sure how much chocolate to make” Hana said.

Riley put her hand to her face and shook her head in disbelief, unable to comprehend how someone as smart as Hana could miss all of her cues to let _The Bachelorette_ stuff go. Madeline meanwhile was unimpressed.

“ _This_ is your activity?” Madeline asked.

“My date, yes! Don’t you like it?”

“Are you trying to kill me, Hana? Any lady-in-waiting of mine should know that I’m _allergic_ to chocolate.”

“What? Oh my goodness Madeline, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

“This is simply unacceptable, Hana. I’m forced to strongly reconsider your place in my court. An error such as this could leave Cordonia without a queen.”

“Don’t you think you’re being just a _little_ dramatic, Madeline?” Riley interjected.

“No, Riley…I don’t. Honestly, it’s far too much a risk for me to even be here. I need to leave at once.”

Hana stood dumbfounded at a loss for words while Madeline stormed toward the door with Kiara and Penelope in tow. Once they were gone, the tears Hana had been fighting began to fall.

“I just…I thought it would be a good gift” she cried.

“Hana, you didn’t know” Riley assured her.

“I should have. She could have been really hurt.”

“If she was fool enough to eat chocolate knowing that she’s allergic, she deserves it” Olivia said.

“Once again…not helpful, Olivia” Riley whispered angrily. “Hana, you were just trying to do something nice for Madeline, and you couldn’t have guessed that she’s allergic. That’s on her to share it if she wants people to know.”

“Well, I for one think she’s full of shit” Olivia said causing Riley and Hana to stare at her, mouths agape. “What? I’ve _never_ heard her mention it before, and I grew up with her and have a literal file on her…strengths, weaknesses, childhood fears…”

“Wait a second…do you have files on _us_?” Riley asked.

“I tell you Madeline’s a lying cow and _that’s_ what you focus on? Really, Riley…I don’t know why I thought I could expect more from you. But to answer your question since you just _have_ to know…of course I have files on you, it would be an insult to you both if I _didn’t._ ”

“Would it though?”

“Ladies” Hana sighed, “let’s just drop this. I need to clean this place up.”

Hana bustled around the shop, putting away supplies and clearing platters of prepared treats while tears streamed down her face. When she attempted to wipe her tears with a tray of hot chocolate in her hands, it became unbalanced and the warm, chocolatey liquid spilled all down the front of her dress. Hana dropped to the ground and her silent tears turned to body shaking sobs. It was a sight so painful, even Olivia felt for her.

“Oh Hana” Olivia said gently, making her way to help her up.

“Now I’ve ruined my dress” Hana said, throwing her hands in the air. “Can this evening get any worse? I just…I worked really hard on this. We were going to eat fondue and do blind chocolate tasting…and it turned out like this…me on the floor covered in chocolate and tears, in danger of being kicked out of court. My parents are going to be so disappointed, I’m a failure.”

“Hana, you are far from a failure and you _know_ Liam will not allow Madeline to remove you from court. Your parents don’t even need to know about this. I think what you need is some cheering up…why don’t we call Drake and Maxwell and we can have our own chocolate party? I have some extra clothes in my bag…you can get changed and then we’ll do all the activities you planned. And it will be a lot more fun than if we were doing it with Madeline.”

“I appreciate the thought, Riley but I don’t want to disturb Drake and Maxwell. It’s okay…this whole thing was a dumb idea anyway.”

“Hana…please…you really think Maxwell won’t drop everything for a chocolate party? And Drake isn’t exactly one to turn down delicious free food.”

“Well…I can’t deny you have a point” Hana said. “Do you want to join us, Olivia? There’s more than enough chocolate.”

“Well…I would but…I’m allergic” she deadpanned as Riley glared at her with anger in her eyes.

“Christ, Olivia” Riley exclaimed.

“What, too soon?”

“Read the room! And stop being an ass when Hana is trying to be nice! Now, are you staying or not?”

“I suppose I could spare an hour.”

“Great…the more the _merrier_ ” Riley stressed. “Now that that’s settled, I’ll call the guys” she said, leaving the room.

“Just to be clear, this doesn’t mean I’m going to join your little misfit club” Olivia said, turning to Hana.

“I wouldn’t dare presume” Hana replied.

Riley returned a few minutes later and handed Hana a dress to change into. By the time Hana returned from the back room, the guys had arrived.

“Chocolate PAAARTYYY!!!” Maxwell exclaimed, running to Hana and pulling her into a hug. “This might be my favorite kind of party.”

“Every party is your favorite kind of party, Maxwell” Drake said.

“You’re not wrong!”

“Thank you for coming guys” Hana said. “I hope you weren’t already busy.”

“Nothing is more important to me than chocolate entering my bloodstream. Except maybe helping my friends” Maxwell said.

“And you know Drake didn’t have anything better to do” Olivia interjected. “What _do_ you do all day when you’re not complaining about the nobility while benefiting from Liam’s hospitality?”

“Why are you even here?” Drake said angrily. “Shouldn’t you be off licking Madeline’s boot?”

“HEY!” Riley shouted. “Both of you, cut the shit! Let’s keep it civil for Hana’s sake, please. I will kick you out if I have to.”

“Fine” Drake said, stalking away.

“Whatever” Olivia huffed.

“Olivia!” Riley said, pulling her aside, “you need to lay off of Drake. You don’t have to like him but he is a _good_ friend to Liam and he’s already hard enough on himself without you adding to it.”

“What are you? His guard dog?”

“I’m his friend! And I am _trying_ to be yours, but you go out of your way to make it so damn hard.”

“His friend?” Olivia scoffed. She turned to look across the room at Drake who stood with Hana and Maxwell but his gaze was fixed on Riley. “Keep telling yourself that” Olivia laughed.

“God, you are so frustrating! Let it go, Olivia.”

“Consider it gone” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Shall we get this misfit party under way? Hana is still simpering over there about her ‘failure’.”

“Yes…but play nice! I’m sure even _you_ can fake it for a little while.”

Riley and Olivia joined the others at the table across the room where Hana was still lamenting the events of the night.

“Hana, stop beating yourself up, please” Riley said.

“Yeah” Maxwell agreed, “everyone makes mistakes sometimes.”

“Have I ever told you about the time I dumped a plate of ribs in a customer’s lap?” Riley asked.

“You did?” Hana exclaimed.

“Yep! A man at the next table had ordered our biggest, sauciest plate of ribs…the triple-baked honey barbecue Dino Bone special.”

“Sounds like my kind of restaurant” Drake said.

“Of course it does” Riley chuckled and shook her head. “Anyway…the plate was so massive that we usually had two people carry it out, but everyone else was busy. So, I hefted it onto my shoulder and started walking to the table…which is about when I realized that my shoe had come untied. It was too late to fix it, so I kept walking and prayed that I would make it. I was almost there…five feet away…when I tripped. Face-planted into the carpet and sent the platter flying, right into another customer’s lap, ruining his suit.”

“No way!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“True story! One of many that feature me being a klutz. My mom always joked that they should have named me ‘Grace’, you know…for the irony. But, suffice it to say, that was probably one of my worst screw-ups and I did not get tips from either table that night.”

“Aww…Riley! They shouldn’t have punished you for an accident” Hana said.

“It’s okay…nature of the beast when you work in a restaurant…one little mistake is all it takes. I tried to make it right, had the kitchen rush out more ribs, with a helper this time and I offered to pay for the other man’s suit, but…such is life.”

“Every time you say ribs, my mouth waters” Maxwell said. “We keep talking about food but we’re not _eating_ any food. Wasn’t I promised fondue? Where’s the fondue?”

“Maxwell, don’t you know impatience is a major fon-don’t?”

“Nevinnnn…” Drake groaned.

“What?”

“That was so damn corny it was painful.”

“You just don’t appreciate a good pun, Drake.”

“I might be able to tolerate it if I was eating…I’m with Beaumont, where’s the food?”

“Over here” Hana said, leading them to a table with a chocolate fountain in the center of the shop. “I’ll go get the dipping options. Just a second.”

Hana disappeared into the back only to return a moment later with a gigantic platter of various fruits, cakes and confections for dipping.

“Now this is more like it” Drake said.

“Hana, this looks amazing” Riley said.

“Well…help yourselves, take whatever you want” Hana replied.

Riley grabbed a plump strawberry from the tray and held it under the flowing stream of chocolate until nearly every inch was covered before enjoying the delicious treat. Everyone dug in and began sharing stories again while they ate.

“Food has been accomplished!” Drake declared. “Now…since Riley shared her rib catastrophe, if you think that was bad, wait until you hear _my_ greatest mistake.”

“This is gonna be good!” Maxwell said.

“Holy shit…Drake Walker volunteering a story about himself, and an embarrassing one at that, I need to document this day” Riley giggled.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…very funny, Nevin. So, when we were kids, Liam and I would play hide-and-seek in the palace. One time, I was hiding and Liam was seeking, and I had the best hiding spot ever. It was the bottom of an old laundry chute that must have been forgotten about for decades. So I waited…and I waited…and I kept waiting. For _hours_!”

“You _would_ be competitive at hide-and-seek” Riley interrupted.

Drake smiled and shrugged as he continued…“Well, I ended up falling asleep in the laundry chute, and I only woke up when the Palace Guard found me the next day.”

“No!” Hana exclaimed.

“Yep! Turns out, when Liam couldn’t find me, he thought something terrible might have happened. The Guard turned the palace upside-down trying to find me, and kept anyone from coming or going.”

“Wait, wait, wait…” Maxwell said, “ _you_ caused the Great Lockdown?” Drake just nodded as he laughed. “Legendary!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“I don’t know about that” Drake said. “We got in so much trouble, they made hide-and-seek forbidden anywhere on the palace grounds.”

“All those poor children who will never get to play because of you” Hana lamented.

“Due to the long term ramifications…I guess I concede…that tops my rib story” Riley said. “What about you, Maxwell? What’s your big mistake story?”

“You know me. My life is just a series of mistakes, really” he replied.

“That’s not true” Hana said. “What about all those dance-offs you’ve won?”

“Ask Bertrand whether those were successes or mistakes!”

“Come on Maxwell” Riley encouraged. “I bet you have a _particularly_ embarrassing moment you could share.”

“Alright, alright…let me think…Ooh! I’ve got one” he finally said. “I used to have a crush on a noble girl, who shall remain unnamed for her own protection. I didn’t know how to tell her, but I just had to express all the emotions bubbling up inside me. So I wrote the most heartfelt and romantic note my twelve-year-old self could muster…”

“Oh no…I don’t think I like where this is going” Riley said.

“I wrote about her songbird voice and effulgent smile.”

“Effulgent?” Hana asked.

“No one understands my poetic heart…anyway, I gave her the note on Valentine’s Day and she read it to _everyone_. I was mortified.”

As Maxwell finished his story, Riley noticed Olivia looking around the table at each of them with a sour expression on her face.

“Is this what you do?” Olivia asked. “Just sit around telling each other how pathetic you are?”

“We’re cheering each other up…sometimes hearing that others have made mistakes makes you feel better about your own. It’s called having _friends_ …you should try it.”

“No thanks…in the world we live in, you don’t have _friends_ at court, you have allies” she replied.

“You don’t seem to have too many of those, either” Drake retorted.

Olivia opened her mouth to reply to Drake but noticed Riley giving her an icy glare and immediately snapped her jaw shut. Riley was shocked but grateful that Olivia held back…biting her tongue was not a strong suit for the Scarlett Duchess so Riley appreciated the effort.

“Hey…maybe let’s all have some more fondue and _not_ fight?” Maxwell suggested hoping to break the tension.

“Good idea” Riley agreed.

They enjoyed more of the tasty sweet treats and Hana was finally smiling due to the support of her friends. With the conversation flowing easily, seemingly out of nowhere, Maxwell yelled “Fondue fight” and lobbed a handful of chocolate covered pound cake right at Drake. The group stood momentarily stunned until Riley picked up a strawberry and hurling straight at Maxwell. With the first shots of retaliation fired, everyone joined in. It was every man for themselves as the food flew chaotically around the room. Drake was able to dodge an attack from Riley only to be struck by Olivia who chalked her success up to her study of _The Art of War_. When Olivia was able to strike Maxwell too in quick succession, the men decided to team up for a battle of the sexes. Maxwell immediately targeted Riley, who dodged the oncoming cake and fired a return shot scoring a direct hit. With Maxwell floundering, the men were showing signs of weakness in the three on two battle and the women took the opportunity to use all their ammunition, emptying the tray of food. The onslaught caused the men to take cover behind the shop counter to recover. When they emerged they threw fists full of food at the women but it wasn’t enough and they had to once again retreat, with the women having gather more ammo and claiming victory. With the battle over, they all began to clean up the resultant mess as things were winding down.

“Thank you all for coming tonight” Hana said, wiping chocolate from her forehead. “I really appreciate it.”

“It _was_ a really hard sell” Maxwell said. “Free chocolate with friends? Sounds awful” he said in jest.

“Still. It means a lot to me to know that I can count on you.”

“Of course you can count on us” Riley said.

“Anytime” Drake added.

Riley wiped down the final counter and with no remaining signs of the epic food fight, they decided to head back to the train. They opted to walk since it was a beautiful evening and just as the train came into view, a taxi stopped right in front of them. Moments later, a _very_ drunk Madeline came tumbling out of the car with no shoes on her feet, followed by Kiara and Penelope.

“Choo chooooooo! Party train!” she shouted.

“Madeline, be quiet!” Kiara scolded. “Do you want someone to see you like this?”

“Too late!” Olivia declared causing Kiara and Penelope to whirl around to face the group.

“Oh no…” Penelope whispered.

“I’d…better go” Hana said to Riley. “Before Madeline sees me.”

“I’ll walk you the rest of the way” Drake offered.

Drake and Hana slipped past, not as unnoticed as Hana would have liked and Maxwell and Riley joined Olivia who was talking to the drunken members of the bachelorette party.

“Poor Hana,” Madeline slurred, “so scared and sad. I wanted to see her pretty little face when I told her I’m not even allergic to chocolate.”

“I knew it” Olivia exclaimed.

“I can’t believe you’d lie about having an allergy. That’s low for a future queen” Riley hissed.

“The joy of being queen is that I don’t have to explain myself to anyone. Including you.” 

“You’re not queen yet.”

“But I still hold Hana’s fate in my hands.”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it” Riley said. “ _Liam_ has final say. Would you dare go against your King? After all…a woman should know her place.”

“Clever” Madeline sneered. “Between you and me…I just want to see what finally pushes her over the edge. Everyone wants _something_ , but the nice ones like Hana don’t have the decency to act like it. So, I like to have some fun. Everybody has a breaking point. I’ll find hers.”

“Wow…you’re an even bigger bitch than I was giving you credit for” Riley said. “Why are you such a horrible person?”

“She’s drunk, Riley. Maybe now isn’t the best time” Olivia interjected.

“The best time! Tonight _was_ the best time!” Madeline stammered as she swayed side to side, unsteady in her intoxication. “I got a drink named after me!”

“She named the drink after herself” Kiara clarified. “Quel narcissique!”

“Same thing! It was on fire!” Madeline exclaimed.

“Do you need help getting her back?” Riley said turning to Penelope, the most coherent of the group.

“No…I just need to pay for this gross, dumb taxi” she replied. “They take cards, right?”

“Yeah, but I thought you left your card at the dress shop? Did you guys make the time to go back?”

“No…their holding it, but I have another one, for emergencies.”

 _“Knew it”_ Riley excitedly thought.

“I’ve never taken a taxi before” Penelope admitted. “What do you do?”

“Taxi’s are life in New York…give me the card, I’ll take care of it for you.”

Penelope handed Riley the card and as she ducked into the taxi to hand it to the driver, she looked at the last four digits…6547…a _match_! Overcome with shock, she nearly screamed out. Everything in her wanted to confront Penelope right then and there but she knew it wasn’t a good idea while she was boiling with anger. After taking the card back from the driver, Riley backed out the taxi and handed the card back to Penelope without once looking at her. If she looked at her, she knew she’d snap. She made her way back to Maxwell and Olivia in a daze and they continued their walk back to the train. It pained her not to say something to them about what she had just discovered, but she needed time to process. After boarding the train, Riley crawled into bed and was overtaken by exhaustion as they slowly pulled away from the station, bound for their next destination.


	11. Rise Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley fills her friends in on what she learned at the end of the night after Madeline's bachelorette party. The court attends a charity fashion show and Riley takes center stage. Hana supports Riley as they confront a conspirator in the plot against her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of my changes to this chapter are subtle changes in dialog and flow. It struck me odd in the game that Riley wore the designer dress but it wasn't a given that she'd be in the show and then Hana gets asked, so I changed it a little. Slightly on the long side again but I tried to break things at a logical place and shorten it a bit.

_When you’re broken down and tired, Of living life on a merry go round  
And you can’t find the fighter, But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out  
And move mountains, We gonna walk it out and move mountains  
  
_

Riley was awoken the next morning by the sound of knocking on her train compartment. Fletcher ran to the door barking as if he were a ferocious guard dog trapped in a cute, squat, furry little body. Riley threw on a dress and stepped in front of Fletcher, laughing as she opened the door to find Maxwell, Drake and Hana.

“Morning sleepyhead!” Hana said.

“Last night must have been rough. You slept all the way from Italy to Paris. How you feeling?” Drake asked.

“I’ve been better” Riley replied.

“That’s what you get when you party all night long!” Maxwell declared.

“I wish it had just been about the partying…”

“What’s going on, Nevin?”

“So, remember when we bumped into Madeline getting out of the taxi?”

“Of course” they all said in unison.

“Well…Penelope needed to pay for the taxi but not surprisingly didn’t know how. I had already checked her credit card against our evidence when we were dress shopping earlier in the night but she had accidentally left that card at the boutique and was going to use her emergency card. I offered to help since I have a _ton_ of taxi experience, plus it would give me a chance to look at her second card and…it was her, Penelope is the noble lady that set me up.”

“Penelope?” Drake said in disbelief. “ _Penelope_? ‘I can’t stop talking about my poodles’ Penelope?”

“One in the same…” Riley replied.

“I always knew she was a few dogs short of a pack” Maxwell said. “Why didn’t you say anything last night?”

“I didn’t want to react from a place of anger” Riley shrugged. “I _wanted_ to turn around out of the taxi and put my hands around her throat…I felt _so_ betrayed by her, but…I’m glad I held back. When I think about it with a clear head…I kinda feel bad for her. It’s always been clear that she’s not cut out for court, the pressure is too much for her and I somehow think that had something do with what she did.”

“You feel bad for her? She betrayed you!” Drake said.

“Don’t get me wrong…I’m not _happy_ with her. It’s just…It’s kind of hard to be angry at someone so pathetic” Riley said, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth. “Oh my god…fucking filter” she mumbled, “I can’t believe I just said that, I am such a bitch.”

“With what she did to you…no one can blame for saying it, Blossom.”

“Thanks, Max. Now that you guys are up to speed, we need to strategize. Even though I didn’t confront her last night, I have to talk to her and get some answers.”

“ _Please_ be careful, Riley. If she’s been able to fool us for so long, who knows what else she’s capable of” Hana said.

“She’s downright diabolical. I bet she doesn’t even have poodles” Maxwell said.

“Yeah, be careful” Drake agreed. “We’ve got the upper hand right now because she doesn’t know that you suspect her.”

“I think you’re overthinking this guys…I…how do I say this tactfully? I don’t think her naïveté is an act…she’s insecure and anxiety-ridden and I think someone played on that. Penelope is _not_ a mastermind.”

“Well, if we can get close to her, we can get some answers” Hana said.

“The ultimate game of cat and mouse” Maxwell mused. “Cat and poodle? Poodle and lion.”

“This lion is ready to pounce” Riley said through gritted teeth.

“I’ll be there if you need help. I know it won’t be easy to be nice to her after all she’s put you through” Hana said. “And I also think I have an idea on how to get close to her” she continued, looking down at Fletcher.

“Oh god, Hana, you’re right. She can’t resist a dog! Some time with Fletcher is sure to get her defenses down.”

“Be careful, Nevin” Drake said, the worry in his eyes obvious. “Do you think you’ll be able to get her alone?”

“That will be hard to do today of all days considering we’re going to the charity fashion show where there will be people everywhere” Hana said.

“Speaking of which, we should get going” Maxwell said. “Before this sidebar we were coming to get you…we’re supposed to meet Justin at the limo in a few minutes.”

“Mind if I catch a ride with you guys?” Drake asked.

Riley regarded Drake curiously…he had never asked to go anywhere with them, usually avoiding it at all costs.

“Plenty of room in the limo!” Maxwell replied, not seeming to find the request odd in the least.

Riley grabbed Fletcher’s leash and they filed off the train towards the waiting vehicles.

“Are you feeling okay? Should I be checking you for a fever?” Riley whispered as they walked behind Hana and Maxwell.

“What the hell are you talking about, Nevin?”

“You asked for a ride…with Maxwell…to a charity fashion show…full of nobles. _One_ of those things would be odd for Drake Walker, but all of them together…you’re either ill or some mysterious force is occupying Drake Walker’s body.”

Drake threw his head back with laughter.

“And now you’re laughing…this is some _Twilight Zone_ shit” she said.

“Don’t give me that, Nevin…I recall telling you once that you were funny…or did you forget?”

“Nope…I remember, in the Beaumont kitchen when I named our appetizer ‘stuffy rich person food’…fine, I concede that the real Drake occasionally finds me hilarious” she chuckled, “but that doesn’t explain the rest.”

“Fine, Nevin…if you must know, I’m going for you. Hana’s great for support but if something happens…if you confront Penelope and shit gets real, I want to be there.”

“Aww…my own personal knight in shining armor…a girl could get used to this.”

“I’m no knight, Nevin…just someone who has your back.”

“I know you do, Drake. Your first mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make sure I don’t bite Justin’s head off…that guy irks me.”

“You’re not exactly easy to control, Nevin. But I’ll do my best” Drake said as they slid into the limo where Justin was already waiting.

“Morning, future Queen!” he said cheerfully.

“See what I mean?” Riley whispered to Drake as they settled into their seats. Drake just rolled his eyes.

“Ready for an exciting day of fashion and philanthropy?” Justin asked.

“Fashlanthropy?” Maxwell playfully suggested.

“Ugh. You know I can never unhear that, right?” Drake groaned.

“Regretting your decision yet?” Riley whispered. “One of them is bad enough…put them together and it’s well…this.”

“Hey, they can’t all be winners!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“Can I answer now? Are we done with the corny puns?” Riley said. 

Maxwell looked at her sheepishly and nodded.

“I’m more than ready…it’s just a fashion show. My only question is, what are we raising money for?”

“Disaster relief is the cause du jour” Justin said.

Riley rolled her eyes at his attempted French… “Any specific disaster? I just want to be prepared for the press.”

Drake interjected before Justin could respond. “There was a major earthquake on the Cordonian coast recently. It caused a tsunami and left hundreds displaced.”

“Oh my god, that’s awful…I can’t believe I haven’t heard about it” Riley said.

“Indeed” Justin said. “It hasn’t received much news coverage, but tonight should change that.”

“Maybe the damn press should focus on actual news instead of being gossip mongers.”

“Well, their penchant for gossip is part of the reason this event will be so well covered and bring the disaster the coverage it deserves. With the attendance of the King and the Court, all eyes will be on this. The government has already deployed disaster relief, but a well-covered charity event will help raise funds for those in need.”

“It’s definitely a worthy cause…maybe my attendance will be of greater benefit since everyone wants a picture or soundbite from the disgraced ‘court whore’.”

“Don’t say that shit, Nevin” Drake said, elbowing her in the arm.

“Ouch!” she shouted, rubbing her arm. “Now I’m gonna have a bruise there. You shouldn’t elbow someone when they speak the truth…watch and see when we get there, they’ll swarm me.”

“Well, just remember” Justin said, “if they ask you any sensationalist questions, refocus on the humanitarian efforts of the event. And don’t worry if you run into any questions you’re not prepared to answer. I’ll be in your head again today. Oh, and make sure you use that little guy for all he’s worth” he said gesturing to a sleeping Fletcher.

“Oh well, that’s gr…” Riley started in a sarcastic tone before Drake discretely placed his hand over hers, carrying out his mission. “That’s great” she continued sweetly, “I have the earpiece right here, I will be sure to have it in.”

“I bet Justin’s fun to have inside your head!” Maxwell said.

“I like to think so” Justin replied. Riley looked at Drake with wide-eyes as if to say ‘ _see_ ’.

“This just got awkward” Drake said.

“Right?!? Thank you!” Riley replied.

Moments later, the limo pulled to a stop in front of a large, industrial warehouse that had been converted into an event space. Throngs of press crowded the sidewalk behind red-velvet ropes as members of both Cordonian nobility and French high society walked the red carpet into the event.

“Oh my god!” Riley exclaimed. “That’s Louis-Alphonse of Bourbon.”

“Who has bourbon?” Drake asked.

“NO! No one has bourbon. Louis-Alphonse of the Royal House of Bourbon. Contrary to popular belief, there are still ‘noble’ families in France even though it’s a Republic, which I always found fascinating. Many people say that if France ever reestablished a monarchy, Louis-Alphonse would have a legitimate claim to the throne. Sorry…I didn’t mean to get so excited. It’s just unreal to see someone I have only ever read about in textbooks, right here, in the flesh.”

“Just don’t get star struck once you’re out there” Justin said. “You don’t want to give the impression that you’re a crown chaser.”

“Damn!” Riley said, “low fucking blow, Justin. Even you, the man tasked with helping me shed it, can’t see past the ‘whore’ label. For the millionth time…I studied history and politics, I was simply appreciating that French nobility came out for this event when they typically keep a low profile. See, maybe knowing something like _that_ could be a good soundbite. Ever think of that, Mr. PR Expert. Nope, you didn’t, your expert advice is to parade around with a _dog_.”

“I’m…I’m sorry, Riley. I…” Justin stammered. It was the first time Riley had ever seen him drop his cocky, smarmy act.

“That’s my cue to get the hell out of this car before I lose it!”

Drake opened the door and stepped out first, extending his hand to assist Riley out, followed by Fletcher.

“What an ass!” Drake said.

“I tried to warn you” Riley replied. “You failed your mission by the way…but that felt good, I’m glad you didn’t stop me.”

“Gotta admit…it was fun to watch. But angry Riley scares me a little bit…let’s just get inside. Maxwell and I are going to find Liam once we’re in.”

Riley posed for photos but didn’t stop for any questions during their entrance into the venue. Once inside, Maxwell and Drake departed in search of Liam while Riley was led to a backstage area that was a bustle of activity preparing for the show. Hana had caught up with them at the end of the red carpet and was with Riley as they joined Madeline and her ‘entourage’.

Kiara, Penelope and Madeline sat amongst designer clothes in what appeared to be a staging area for models walking in the show. Kiara was busy lamenting about haute couture being an under-appreciated art form and though Madeline appeared bored with the conversation, she commented that few are equipped to value it, while Penelope was busy gushing about the glamour to no one imparticular. Madeline’s eyes immediately narrowed as Hana, Riley and Fletcher entered the room.

“Ah, Hana. I must admit, I am a bit surprised to see you here after last night’s blunder _au chocolat_ ” Madeline sneered.

“I am terribly sorry, Madeline. I hope you will allow me the chance to make it up to you.”

“The fact that you’re still welcome here at all is a testament to my merciful nature.”

“Honestly Madeline,” Riley said, “I’m a little surprised to see _you_ here considering your level of intoxication last night. I assumed the epic hangover would do you in more than any _fake_ chocolate allergy.”

“I have _no_ idea what you are talking about” Madeline replied.

“Doesn’t surprise me. You were so wasted…what is it they say, ‘A drunk tongue is an honest one’. After you stumbled bare-foot out of a taxi, you drunkenly admitted that you made it all up to torment Hana.”

“Is that true?” Hana asked Madeline as she fought the tears in her eyes.

“Don’t take it personally, darling. I like putting all of my ladies through their paces. Consider that your official hazing…and you passed.”

“Passed my ass” Riley said. “You were caught and lost your leverage.”

“I think we’re done with this topic now, Lady Riley” Madeline replied with an icy glare. “Our focus today is of a more philanthropic nature. I am sure you must all be wondering why we’re backstage…I’ve arranged for us to have a private tour with the designer. And now that we are all _finally_ here, we can begin the tour. Come.”

Madeline led the ladies across the room to an impeccably dressed man who gave off an air of haughtiness.

“Ah, bonjour mesdemoiselles! Je suis Lancelin St. Claire. I am the designer for this haute couture extravaganza” the man said in introduction.

“C’est un honneur de vous rencontrer, monsieur” Kiara said, clearly eager to speak to someone whom understood her French.

“The honor is all mine. Let’s begin the tour. Avec moi” he replied.

Monsieur St. Claire led the ladies through the backstage area, which was a flutter with preparations for the show. Riley had always been somewhat envious of the long, lean model build. She had been told once she had a face for modeling and tried when she was struggling to make ends meet in New York. Unfortunately, she was turned down. Although she was above average in height, these models seemed to tower over her and she had been told by the modeling agent that she was too curvy for runway modeling and not curvy enough for plus-size modeling…yet another place in the world that she hadn’t fit in. Monsieur St. Claire eagerly showed them around the hair and makeup area before producing the racks of wardrobe with a flourish, noting that the wardrobe area was where the models would dress.

“Most of them anyway…” he said in a somewhat annoyed tone. “One of my ungrateful, unreliable so-called models was evidently too _busy_ to bother showing up tonight” he explained, pulling a lovely floral dress off the rack and staring at it wistfully. “Now this piece will never see the stage.”

“Riley! That looks like it would fit you. You should wear it in the show” Hana declared.

“What?!?” Riley exclaimed. “Don’t be silly, Hana. I am _not_ sample size…look at these models! That dress would never fit me and surely Monsieur St. Claire wouldn’t want just _anyone_ wearing such a gown in his show.”

“Truthfully, if it isn’t onstage it is useless to me. You can walk in the show and have the dress for the cost of materials.”

Riley stood speechless at the turn of events when suddenly her ear was accosted by the earpiece she had forgotten she was wearing.

_“Riley, this is an excellent idea. You will be the only one in a dress by the show’s designer. The press wouldn’t be able to contain themselves.”_

“It _is_ a gorgeous dress” Riley relented. “Do you really think it would fit me?”

“At least try it on” Hana prodded.

“My seamstress can make any necessary alterations. If you are going to wear _my_ dress to _my_ show, you will look perfect” Monsieur St. Claire said.

As if on cue, a seamstress stepped into the room, taking the dress from it’s designer and escorting Riley to a changing room. Riley quickly passed Fletcher’s leash to Hana and followed. As she pulled on the gown the woman began making careful measurements and adjustments. Even with her non-model frame, the dress was exceptionally flattering. The criss-cross fabric of the bodice perfectly accentuated her bust as it wrapped over her arms off the shoulder. The cinched waistline and dramatic A-line flair of the full-length skirt made her appear to have a perfect hourglass shape. It’s ivory color and soft pastel floral pattern stood out against her sun-kissed skin. The seamstress accessorized her with an ivory flower choker to compliment the pattern and a pearl cuff bracelet, just the right amount of jewelry to allow the dress to shine. Riley stepped out of the fitting room and the eyes of all the ladies went wide.

“Like a glove” Hana declared.

“Like a glove that was just sewn onto my body” Riley replied. “I’m not sure I could take this off, even if I wanted to.”

“If I were you, I would never want to take that dress off.”

“Now ladies, shall we continue the tour?” Lancelin asked.

As Madeline and Kiara follow closely behind him continuing on, Riley dropped back where Hana was already talking to Penelope, hopeful for an opportunity to get answers.

“Hey, Penelope. It sounds like you’re really excited to be here” Riley said, making polite small talk.

“It’s so wonderful, isn’t it? I love it here. I wish we could stay forever!” Penelope declared.

Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Oh, yeah?” She said. “What would you want to do with all that time here?”

“I’ve always liked making clothes.”

“Really? I didn’t know you made clothes” Riley said with genuine surprise.

“My mother taught me to sew when I was growing up. She was always so busy with courtly duties that sometimes it was the only time we spent together. I think she intended for me to do lady-like needlework, but I actually preferred making clothes. She…didn’t really approve of that. She said it was the work for a common seamstress, not her daughter.”

“Oh, I’m sorry Penelope” Riley said feeling genuine feeling sympathy for her. “It would have been nice to have her support. Fashion designers are greatly respected. Practically treated like royalty in some countries.”

“Yeah, that’s true, isn’t it?” Penelope said, perking up a little.

“What kind of clothes do you make?” Hana asked.

“I mostly make outfits for my poodles, with little hats and slippers.”

Riley was grateful that Hana spoke up proclaiming Penelope’s fashion of choice to be ‘adorable’ because in the moment she was lost for words, no longer intrigued by Penelope’s hobby knowing it was for _poodles_. They had caught up to Madeline just in time for her to belittle Penelope for talking about her poodles yet again.

“You shouldn’t encourage her, Riley. It’s embarrassing enough to have a lady-in-waiting so _obsessed_ with those ridiculous creatures.”

Riley was about to protest that she found it just as silly when thankfully for once her filter actually kicked in, plus Hana stepped in…that helped too.

“I think Fletcher would look adorable with a matching hat-and-slippers set. Right, Fletcher?”

Fletcher wagged his tail in reply as Madeline moved on yet again smug from having torn someone down. Penelope’s smile and excitement had quickly faded away.

“Penelope, are you alright?” Hana asked.

“Honestly? Not really. Talking about my poodles…I just miss them so much. I know it sounds silly to everyone else, especially Madeline, but they’re my family. I wouldn’t expect anyone else to understand…”

“We’d like to try” Hana said gently.

“Well, I had…a lot of anxiety when I was younger. I’ve been attending courtly functions since I was a child but they still fill me with dread. I’ve never gotten used to the crowds, or all the scrutiny. I used to get panic attacks right before a big event. My parents thought a pet might help me stay calm. That’s when they got me my first poodles, Lancelot and Guinevere. They helped me so much with the panic attacks…and they were my best friends. I’ve had poodles ever since.”

Riley’s sympathy had returned. Having struggled with anxiety and panic attacks for most of the last eight years, she knew how important it was to have something calming. For her it had always just been breathing techniques to ground herself but she could instantly understand why Penelope was so focused on her poodles.

“If they help you so much, you should have them at court” Hana told her.

“I want that more than anything, but Madeline forbids it. She says that it’s ‘undignified’. I don’t have the courage to tell her why I need them. I’ve been having a hard time again without them.”

“I had no idea, I’m sorry Penelope” Riley said. “Madeline shouldn’t be keeping you from them. Do you want me to talk to her?”

“No! Not right now, anyway. But thank you. I don’t want her to know that there’s something wrong with me.”

“Oh, Penelope, there isn’t anything wrong with you!” Hana said.

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that there is!” Riley said. “I have anxiety and panic attacks too, Penelope. It’s nothing to be ashamed of!”

“And there are few places more stressful than the Royal court. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been on you” Hana said.

“I know he’s not a poodle, but I’m sure Fletcher would love to play with you, if you want” Riley offered.

Penelope smiled and stooped down, giving Fletcher scratches and belly rubs while he rolled around basking in the attention. It was evident that her mood had improved within minutes, as she raved about how cute Fletcher would look with a hat.

“I’ll be your first order when you open your business” Riley said, eager to build Penelope up despite feeling that dressing her dog would be silly. 

Once Fletcher had his fill of scratches, Riley, Hana and Penelope caught up to the rest of the group to finish the tour. Lancelin thanked them for the honor of showing them around and then quickly made his way over to assist in a fitting. A woman with a clipboard ushered the ladies out of the room into the event space where the runway split the brightly lit room down the middle. No sooner had they entered, Riley was swarmed by the press.

“Looking sharp, Lady Riley. Who are you wearing?” Donald Brine asked.

“Monsieur St. Claire was kind enough to offer me this dress” Riley replied.

“Arriving at the show in the designer’s own clothing. That takes confidence” Donald replied.

“Thank you, but the credit really belong to Monsieur St. Claire” she said demurely.

“Lady Riley, after your fall from grace, you disappeared into the Beaumont estate for some time. Now it seems you and Maxwell Beaumont are nearly inseparable. Why all the quality time?”

Riley had been anticipating this line of questioning for weeks, honestly surprised it took this long to come up, but nonetheless, she was prepared.

“Firstly, the Beaumont’s are like family to me. They took me in and accepted me as a member of their house. Secondly,” she started, remembering the purpose of the day, “I have been working closely with Maxwell on House Beaumont’s charitable giving. It’s the least we can do for the people of Cordonia in this time of need.”

“Putting down roots in Cordonia and giving back to the country…that will make a great quote in the article” Donald replied.

 _“You nailed it”_ Justin said through the ear piece.

“Of course I did” she whispered back once Donald had turned his attention to Madeline.

“Countess Madeline, why did you include a charity show as part of your engagement tour?” He asked.

“King Liam and I want the people of Cordonia to know that we’re with them even when we are abroad. We feel their hardship. To think of Liam and me, of the family we’ll soon begin to build, experiencing such loss…It is our paramount duty to protect Cordonian citizens, and to provide stability for our people” she replied.

Donald Brine seemed pleased with Madeline’s answer as he thanked her, but Riley couldn’t help but notice how she _almost_ sounded like she was making it about herself even if she intended to sound sympathetic.

 _“Damn, she’s good_ ” Riley heard through the earpiece.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side” she hissed. 

_“What? I admire the craft, even when it comes from a witch.”_

_“_ Personally I think she almost sounded insincere” Riley muttered.

“ _Agree to disagree. But it sounds like they are done with you for the day, call if you need me. Over and out.”_

As the lights in the room dimmed, giving Riley cover to rip out the earpiece, she moved to find her seat in the audience. Riley’s eyes landed on Hana who had saved her a chair. Before she could reach her, however, Lancelin St. Claire stepped into Riley’s path to speak with Hana.

“Ah…Lady Hana, I am so happy I caught you” he said.

“You were looking for me?” Hana said, surprised.

“Bien entendul! I know the request is a bit last-minute, but I was hoping you might walk in the show. It would help with the publicity to have some Cordonian presence on the stage…in addition to Lady Riley of course.”

“Why me?” Hana exclaimed. “I have nothing to wear.”

“En fait…I didn’t want to boast earlier, but I happen to recognize that gown you are wearing. It was part of my very first collection. It would be the perfect statement for the show. Going back to our roots, remembering where we came from.”

“I am quite flattered. Honestly, when we were escorted out here, we weren’t sure if Riley was still meant to walk…would she be coming with me?”

“Of course, of course! I am so sorry for the confusion. Lady Riley is already dressed in a piece from the show, she will indeed be joining you.”

“It _does_ sound fun” Hana admitted. “And…if we could…invite one more friend. Lady Penelope would love to join, given her love of fashion.”

“Oui, what’s one more?” Lancelin replied.

“I think that’s a great idea!” Riley said.

“Absolument magnifique!” Lancelin declared.

Hana rose from her seat and leaned in close to Riley…“So, do you want to invite Penelope? It could help you get some answers.”

“You’re craftier than you look. Just one of your many talents.”

“I do what I can!”

After getting direction from Lancelin, Hana and Riley moved through the audience in search of Penelope and found her sitting with Kiara.

“Hey, Penelope, we were invited to walk in the fashion show and we can bring one more. Do you want to come?” Riley asked.

“Me? Really?” Penelope asked, taken completely by surprise.

“Yeah, I bet you’d look great on the runway.”

“Oh my god, I’d love that!”

Penelope joined Hana and Riley and the three ladies made their way backstage. Lancelin sent them all to hair and makeup while he ensured the other models were ready. Hana and Riley had their makeup done and hair fluffed and Penelope was given a St. Claire original to wear on the runway. Once they were all ready, Lancelin lined them up with the other models at the stage entrance and explained their cues. Riley was first to take the stage, trying to imitate a perfect model strut despite her usual lack of grace. Cameras flashed the moment she stepped out as she mentally coached herself not to trip. Penelope followed immediately behind her, composing her face with a radiant smile as Kiara cheered from the audience. Halfway down the cat walk, Riley completed a perfect princess spin causing her skirt to flare out to raucous applause. Finally, at the end of the runway she struck a powerful, confident pose met with a flurry of flashes from the press. When Riley turned for her return walk, Hana stepped onto the stage looking radiant and happy as the crowd cheered. As they passed each other, Riley offered Hana a reassuring wink, struck her final pose and watched as Penelope commanded attention at the end of the runaway before stepping back stage. She stood just beyond the curtain where she could still watch as Hana posed for the crowd. Minutes later they all reunited in the holding area.

“I can’t believe we just did that!” Riley said, bouncing on the balls of her feet from the adrenaline rush.

“That was more fun than I had expected” Hana said.

“I can’t believe it! I was a model!” Penelope exclaimed.

“We saw! You were great” Hana said.

“I’ve never done anything like that. It was exhilarating” Penelope said, still trying to compose herself.

Lancelin met them backstage on his way to the catwalk for his introduction and lavished them with praise. They all excitedly thanked him for allowing them to participate but as there was still a flurry of activity for the rest of the show, he quickly made it clear that they should move along out of the holding area. Lancelin gestured to a door for them to exit through and Penelope practically bounced the whole way out and babbled about hoping Kiara got a picture, completely ignoring the fact that hundreds of photographers had been snapping photos. Riley and Hana hung back, chatting before heading out to the audience.

“Thank you for convincing me to do that, Riley. It was amazing.”

“I know…and I really needed it. Even though we invited Penelope to gain leverage, the actual time we were out there was a nice distraction from the scandal and investigation. I’ve barely thought about anything but getting Penelope to confess all day.”

“I understand…for me it was a welcome distraction from looking for a suitor. I have an idea…let’s make a promise right now to always be an available escape to each other.”

“You mean when you are up to your neck in suitors, I’ll be there to bail you out?”

“Exactly…and when Bertrand, Drake and Justin are all trying to tell you what to do, I’ll be there.”

“Hmmmm…mostly just Bertrand and Justin but that sounds like a deal.”

“So…you and Drake?...”

“Have a very complicated _friendship_ ” Riley finished. “With the scandal, and Liam still wanting a future…there’s just too much _stuff_ complicating the fact that we both have feelings that go beyond friendship, so for now…it just is what it is. I don’t have to like it, but I can’t focus on it too much.”

“I know it’s hard to accept, but that’s probably for the best right now.”

“I know…I know…” Riley said. “I just…”

Before she could finish her thought, the activity of backstage surrounded them again, signaling that intermission had started. They made their way back out to the audience after retrieving Fletcher from a handler. Riley was admittedly confused by the concept of intermission at a fashion show until Hana explained it was done to ‘encourage’ people to give.

“So…what you’re saying is…peer pressure? And that’s a good thing?” Riley asked.

“Under the right circumstances. But…um…I am going to make sure my donation is all in order, looks like you have a visitor” Hana said.

“What? Who?”

Hana gestured behind Riley who turned to look and saw Liam approaching through the crowd.

“No…Hana…stay…please…”

“You’ll be fine, Riley” she said just as Liam joined them.

“Greetings, Lady Riley” Liam said as Hana bowed and took her leave.

“Your Majesty” Riley said, followed by a whimper from Fletcher at her feet.

“Well, hello to you too” Liam said, crouching down to pet the happy, wiggling pooch. “I see Lady Riley has found some excellent company.”

“This is Fletcher” Riley explained. “I adopted him recently.”

“That’s wonderful. As you know, I’ve always been a dog person.”

“That’s right, I do recall you saying that during our drinks at Ramsford.”

“Fletcher seems to be a good dog” Liam said as he continued to pet and scratch the puppy while Fletcher jumped and licked at Liam’s face.

“He is…the most perfect bundle of fluff.”

“If only we could drop everything to find a park” Liam said, standing up. “Fletcher probably wants to stretch his little legs. I look forward to seeing more of him on our travels.”

Riley just smiled and nodded, noticing that Liam seemed to be looking around and over his shoulder before finally turning back to her.

“Before anyone is any the wiser, I’d like to extend an invitation to you” he said.

“Liam…” she started.

“Riley, I simply want to show you around one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks. No trip is complete without a trip to the Eiffel Tower. Consider it my gift to you for showing me the Statute of Liberty.”

“Liam, it’s not that simple…” she protested.

“But it is…two people going to see an iconic monument. Monuments are meant to be seen, I have always believed that the monuments people build show what they value.”

“And what does the Eiffel Tower say?”

“I’ll leave that to you to decide. But I promise that the view of Paris at night is unforgettable. You don’t have to answer now. If you are interested, I’ll be waiting after the fashion show.”

“Liam…I..”

Before she could finish, the lights dimmed signaling the end of intermission and Liam turned and disappeared into the crowd. Riley returned to her seat and found Hana already seated, with Maxwell on the other side of her who immediately started fawning over Fletcher.

“There’s my best friend in the whole world” Maxwell cooed.

“You’d choose him over me?” Riley gasped, feigning offense.

“Man’s best friend, Riley!”

Slowly the hum of the crowd started to wain and lights began sweeping through the room and over the runway as loud music thumped through the room. When the first model made her way onto the catwalk, there were audible gasps among the crowd. The environment and designs stood in stark contrast to the elegance of Lancelin St. Claire’s designs.

“These clothes are ridiculous” Riley whispered to Hana. “An off-shoulder capelet? Really? For when _just_ your biceps get cold.”

“Heh, they are rather silly, aren’t they” Hana laughed.

Penelope insisted that the impracticality of the designs was what made them art, but Hana and Riley continued to pass the time playfully bantering over the silly clothes. Hana could barely contain her giggles when one of the models came out looking like a jellyfish. Thanks to his seafaring house sigil, Maxwell was appreciative of the sea creature couture. When the last model, wearing copious amounts of fishnet stomped off the stage, the lights finally came up signaling the end of the show.

Madeline quickly approached their group before anyone could depart.

“Hello, darlings. I would be remiss if I neglected to ensure you have all made your donations to the cause” she said.

“Of course” Hana said. “Nothing is more important than helping Cordonians in need.”

“I’m sure Bertrand took care of House Beaumont’s donation” Maxwell said.

“I’ve taken care of mine as well” Riley said.

“You didn’t have to do that, Ri…you’re House Beaumont.”

“I know…I wanted to. It’s an important cause, the more donations, the better” Riley said.

“Indeed” Madeline agreed. “But in perusing the list of donors, I noted that _your_ family was missing, Penelope.”

“Oh…I have the donation” she said, rifling through her clutch but coming up empty. “I must have left it on the train.”

“Penelope, you are a constant disappointment. You _do_ know that, don’t you?” Madeline huffed.

“Of course….I’m so sorry Madeline” she squeaked out, near tears. Madeline ushered Kiara away to speak with the French ambassador to aid in her quest for a position in the foreign ministry leaving Penelope fighting off tears. Hana and Riley shared a knowing look and discreetly gestured for Maxwell to leave.

“Oh…um…I better go find Drake” Maxwell said to excuse himself. “You know that guy. Hates fashion. Probably got his shoes on his hands by now.”

Hana gently wrapped an arm around Penelope’s shoulders trying to console her.

“It’s okay, Penelope. Mistakes happen” Hana said.

“No, it’s not okay. I wouldn’t think it possible to mess up donating to charity, but here I’ve managed to do it. I mess up everything.”

“No, you don’t…life at court is difficult to navigate. If you’d like, I could help you” Hana offered.

“That’s sweet of you to offer, but don’t waste your time, I’m a lost cause.”

“Penelope, don’t be so hard on yourself” Riley said. “ You’re not hopeless, and Hana is a really great teacher. Your feelings are completely valid. The court is stressful enough without Madeline adding to it. I know it’s hard, especially when you feel like you’re different, I really do get it. But you’re far from a lost cause, and I know Hana can help.”

“Do you really think so?” Penelope asked, sounding hopeful.

“We both do” Hana assured her.

Penelope looked down, grabbing a handkerchief from her clutch will she sniffled and wiped at her eyes.

“Why have you been paying me so much attention?” She asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier to just ignore me like everyone else?”

“Well Penelope, the truth is…we know how out of place and uncomfortable you feel at court and” Riley said, stumbling over her words as she continued, “…well…we know that it could make you feel desperate to fit in, willing to do almost anything. And, I...um…I’m hoping that you’ll be honest and tell me if that’s why you played a part in setting me up?”

“What?” Penelope gasped, her eyes a mixture of shock, guilt and fear.

“Listen…” Riley said, trying to remain calm “I’m not going to yell or scream, I just want to talk. Maxwell and I found the photographer that took the pictures of me and Tariq and she gave us a receipt from the payment she received. The only thing we could pull from it was a partial credit card number…a number that matches your emergency card I used in the taxi. Please, Penelope…there is no use in denying it, I know it was you and now I just want to know why. I think you owe me that much.”

“I…you’re right. I won’t deny it. I’m sorry, Riley. You’ve been so nice to me.”

“So tell me what happened.”

“Okay, just…not here, somewhere private.”

Riley and Hana led the way to return to the backstage area which had nearly emptied out now that the show was over. Penelope took a seat on a chaise lounge, with Hana sitting beside her and Riley sat across from them.

“Ok…we’re alone now” Riley said. “Please, tell me.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you, Riley…I promise.”

“Penelope…I told you, I believe you. I don’t think you’re a malicious person…I don’t even think this was your idea, but I still need answers.”

“It was the only way to remain at court. I knew Liam wasn’t going to choose me…and even though I don’t like being here, I couldn’t leave. My parents thought I was doing so well, making friends and spending time with eligible noblemen. I couldn’t bear to face my parents as a failure, but I’m not like Madeline. I’m not skilled enough to maneuver myself into a favorable position alone. I was offered a chance to stay as a lady-in-waiting regardless of who Liam chose…as long as I helped in the scheme against you.”

“‘Offered’? So someone did tell you set Riley up?” Hana asked.

“Of course, I would never have thought of such an awful thing on my own. And I never would have done anything bad to Riley, either.”

“I know, Penelope…I had a feeling there was someone other than you behind it. Who was it? Please, just tell me” Riley said.

“It was…” Penelope hesitated, looking down at her feet before finally meeting Riley’s eyes again, “…Bastien.”

“What?” Hana exclaimed.

“Bastien? No…no, it can’t be true. Bastien is in the King’s Guard! He wouldn’t plot against Liam…he..”

“This doesn’t make sense” Hana said.

“Bastien gave me instructions to hire the photographer and to arrange for Tariq to find himself enamored and in your room. We met in-person, to avoid any evidence…it was definitely him. But that’s all I know. I wish I could tell you more.”

“This is good, Riley…it puts us one step closer” Hana said.

“It’s another piece…but…it’s not _good_ …how do I tell Liam that someone in the guard was involved…how do I tell Drake that someone that he is _so_ close with is involved?”

“Riley…I am so, so sorry” Penelope said, wiping tears from her eyes.

“I know, Penelope. Thank you…for being honest with me.”

As Hana handed Penelope a tissue, a handler from the show came into the room to let them know the venue was closing. Riley collected Fletcher and the clothes she had changed out of earlier and headed for limo. Before she could slide in, she saw Liam standing by his own limo a few cars down. With all that had happened while questioning Penelope, she had completely forgotten about his invitation to the Eiffel Tower.

 _“I can’t keep meeting with him”_ she thought to herself. Knowing he hadn’t seen her, with a heavy heart, she slid into the limo and headed back to the train. Most of the court had retired for the evening, so Riley decided to do the same. There was nothing more they could do with the information she had at this late hour…it could wait till morning.


	12. Paris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley tells Drake some difficult news about the investigation. While they await their next opportunity to learn more, they focus on another mystery...the cash in the Beaumont study. Where is leads gives Drake the surprise of a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters.***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_If we go down then we go down together  
They’ll say you could do anything,  
They’ll say that I was clever  
If we go down then we go down together_

Riley woke the next morning to her own alarm, surprised that Maxwell hadn’t come calling. Figuring she’d probably find her friends in the dining car, she threw on some jeans and a tank top and headed down for breakfast. It was surprisingly empty when she got there so with no friends in sight she grabbed some juice and fruit and turned to go back to her compartment. As she spun around, she ran smack dab into Drake.

“Oof,” she groaned, looking up into his hazel eyes and laughing. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

“Sorry, I should have announced myself. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“And now you found me! I missed you at the end of the fashion show yesterday. Were the fishnet jumpsuits too much for you?”

“I don’t ever need to see that much of a person,” he laughed.

“Shame…I was thinking about getting one.”

“Ahhh…well…I mean…”

“I’m kidding, Drake!”

“I think you enjoy teasing me a little too much, Nevin.”

“You make it so easy, and you’re so cute when you’re flustered.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“So…um…listen,” Riley said, suddenly turning serious, “we need to talk, but not here. I was just heading back to my room…”

“Okay?” Drake said curiously.

Riley took Drake by the hand and drug him through the dining car, down the hall and back to her room, closing the door behind them.

“So…this isn’t going to be easy for you to hear…”

“Just spit it out, Nevin.”

“I talked to Penelope after the show yesterday…she confessed her part in the set-up and I was right, she wasn’t the mastermind…she was following instructions she given by…by Bastien.”

“Bastien? _Our_ Bastien?” Drake exclaimed. Riley saw the unmistakable pain in his eyes. “No…no, it can’t…he wouldn’t,” he muttered as he paced the room, running his fingers anxiously through his hair.

“I’m so sorry, Drake. I know how much he means to you.”

“Not him…of all people, hell, why him?” he said as he punched the wall. He stepped back, shaking his fist from the pain of the impact as Riley stood wide-eyed. “Shit, Nevin…I’m sorry…I…”

“You’re angry, you have every right to be.”

“But you…your…”

“I’m fine, Drake…I’m not comparing you to my past, I know you’d never do that.”

“I wouldn’t, I swear…I just, I can’t believe this.”

“I didn’t want to believe it either and I hate having to be the one to tell you. Have you seen him around? We need to talk to him.”

“No, he’s been busy preparing security for Liam’s bachelor party. He’ll be there tomorrow night.”

“I guess that means I’m crashing another bachelor party.”

“Can I be there when you talk to him? I need to know why…I need to hear it from him.”

“Of course you can, I was going to ask you to be there anyway.”

“Thanks, Nevin,” Drake sighed as he plopped down on the bed. “Not much to do until then. But…there’s another mystery I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?” Riley said, taking a seat beside him.

“Do you remember when we were in the Beaumont study?”

“Hmmm…sounds vaguely familiar…you could refresh my memory,” she said giving him a seductive smile.

“Tempting as that is…very tempting…I was talking about the envelope of cash we found.”

“Oh…” she said, playfully pouting.

Drake leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead… “you’re cute when you pout…so the cash?”

“Of course, I remember…the address on it was in Paris!”

“Not too far from here, in fact.”

“Are you thinking we should go to that address?”

“Listen…even if the bachelor party photos weren’t tied to the blackmailers, there’s still _something_ going on with the Beaumont’s. At the very least, going might give us some answers. And right now, it seems like we can use all the answers we can get.”

“Ok…you’re right. I’m still not one hundred percent on the ‘Trust Bertrand Train’ so, I’m in…let’s go. But…you should bring something nice to wear.”

“What? Why? You’re just trying to get me into a suit, aren’t you?”

“As much as I enjoy forcing you into formal wear, and enjoy looking at you in formal wear…we have no idea where this address will take us, so you never know when you’ll need to look nice to blend in.”

“Fine…I’ll bring one with me but I’m not putting it on unless I need to.”

“Deal!”

“What about you? How come you get to go in that?” he said gesturing to her casual clothes.

“I’m not…just give me a sec.”

Riley moved to her closet and quickly selected a green, off-the-shoulder swing dress that she had brought with her from New York. As she started changing, she noticed Drake had turned to face the wall.

“Drake…what are you doing?”

“Giving you privacy, Nevin…what the hell does it look like?”

“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” she teased.

“Damn it, Nevin…why do you do this shit? If I turn around, we might not make it out of this room.”

“You’d get no complaints from me.”

“You’re impossible! Just get dressed.”

“Done,” she declared.

Drake finally turned around and took in the sight of Riley in her dress…“You look great…let’s go!”

Outside the train, Drake tracked down a taxi and gave the driver the address. A short drive later they pulled up at what appeared to be an ordinary apartment building. They moved through the lobby and took the elevator up to the third floor and knocked on the door of the apartment that had been listed on the envelope. From inside, they heard someone bustling around and the door swung open. A tall, beautiful brunette stood wide-eyed, looking directly at Drake. Riley looked up and saw the same look of shock on his face.

“Drake!” the woman finally exclaimed.

“Wha…Savannah?” Drake stammered.

From inside the apartment, they heard a familiar voice holler…“who’s at the…” just as Maxwell came into view.

“Whoa, Drake and Riley! Uh…hi.”

“ _Maxwell?_ ” Drake seethed.

Maxwell appeared to be in a sheer state of panic as Savannah placed herself protectively between the men.

“Drake, I…” she started but was interrupted by the sound of a tiny cry coming from inside. “Mama’s coming, Bartie,” Savannah called as realization crossed Drake’s face.

Riley reached out and took Drake’s hand as he continued to glare at Maxwell.

“Drake, we need to stay calm,” she whispered in her most soothing tone.

“Calm!” Drake exclaimed, Riley continuing to grip his hand. “At a time like this? Calm is the _last_ thing I’m feeling right now!”

Riley turned him to face her, never letting go of his hand… “You need to _get_ calm, then!” she said in a much more stern tone. “For Savannah’s sake!”

“I shouldn’t even be here,” Drake said wrenching his hand from Riley’s and turning from the door. “Savannah didn’t want me here. She didn’t want me involved in her new life. I should go,” he said moving back down the hall toward the elevator. “I’ll only upset her if I’m here.”

Riley raced in front of him and blocked the elevator buttons.

“Drake Walker! You don’t know for sure that’s true. Was there a reason that she left? Yes…I think that’s obvious now and as a woman with brothers, it’s even obvious to me why she couldn’t tell you…but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you here _now_.”

“If she wanted me around, she would’ve called. Written. Anything. Now move out of the way and let’s go.”

Riley stepped up and grabbed both of Drake’s hands, forcing him to look her in the eye.

“No…we’re not going anywhere. If she ran because she felt she couldn’t tell you…well, now she doesn’t have to…you know and you can both move forward from here. I saw how much you wanted to find her when we were in Lythikos, and now you have…you just found her after all this time. We can’t leave now. We need to be here for her, let her know you support her. Just stay for a minute to talk to her. If she really wants us gone, we’ll go.”

They stood in silence for a moment until Riley saw Drake’s body start to relax. He let out a sigh and leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers.

“Why do you have to be so god damn right all the time?” he said.

“It’s a curse,” she jested, taking his hand and leading him back down the hall to the apartment where Maxwell was still standing in the doorway. Drake glared at him as he and Riley moved into the apartment.

“Uh…can I get you anything?” Maxwell asked nervously, closing the door. “Water or anything? No? Tea?”

“Stop deflecting and talk, Maxwell,” Riley said.

“I…better go get that tea! You said you wanted tea?”

“No one wants tea,” Drake hissed through gritted teeth causing Riley to squeeze his hand.

“There’s the kettle,” Maxwell declared as he took off for the kitchen.

Left alone in the living room, Riley turned to Drake with a thought…“Did you hear Savannah when the baby cried? She said ‘Bartie’…I think the baby is named after Bertrand and Maxwell’s father.”

“Barthelemy Beaumont. You’re right.”

“I knew I’d heard them mention his name before! If the baby is named after their father, then either Maxwell or Bertrand have to be the father…right?”

“I don’t want to think about my little sister being with either of them but…yeah…you’re right…again.”

“I bet it’s Bertrand. I just don’t think Maxwell would be the type to let her go off on her own. And Bertrand is always so mysterious, like he’s just full of secrets.”

“Well…one of them is gonna die,” Drake deadpanned. “Maybe both.”

“Knock it off…” she said, slapping his arm. “Shhh…they’re coming back.”

Savannah walked into the living room holding an adorable little boy with brown hair and big brown eyes who looked to be about six or seven months old. She opened her mouth to speak but Drake jumped right in before she could.

“Savannah…before you say anything, if you want me to go, I’ll go. I don’t want to force anything you’re not ready for.”

“That’s not…oh, Drake,” she sighed, as tears filled her eyes. In a flash, she had handed the baby to Maxwell who had come from the kitchen and was throwing herself into Drake’s arms, hugging him tightly and sobbing.

“Shhh…it’s ok, Sav,” Drake soothed.

“I’m sorry I shut you out,” she mumbled into his chest. “I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

Drake looked over at Riley at Savannah’s admission.

“I didn’t think you’d understand,” Savannah continued. “I didn’t want to ruin things for you at court.”

Drake pulled Savannah back and looked down into her eyes.

“For me?” He said. “Savannah, don’t you know that your happiness means so much more to me?”

“I know. I guess I always knew. I just wasn’t ready to reach out. But now that you’re here…I’m so glad to see you, I could cry…again.”

Across the room, from Maxwell’s arms, Bartie cooed and reached out for his mother.

“Drake, are you ready to meet your nephew?” Savannah asked, moving to take Bartie back from Maxwell.

“Uh…yes?” Drake stammered as Savannah placed Bartie in Drake’s arms.

Bartie cooed while Drake fumbled to get a proper hold on him, very unsure of how to handle a baby.

“Am I…am I doing this right?” he asked.

“Here…let me help,” Riley said stepping up beside Drake. “Put this hand here…and then…make sure you have a firm, but not too firm hold around his waist and you can use you’re hip for additional support.”

“You’re good at this,” he whispered. Riley just smiled and shrugged. “Just because you’ve got me holding this little bundle,” Drake said, turning back to Savannah, “don’t think that you’re going to avoid any questions.”

“No…I wouldn’t…I’m ready to talk to you. Ask whatever you want?” Savannah said.

“Well…I mean, I guess I could keep it simple and just ask, what happened? When you left, I mean.”

“Um…it was a very difficult time for me. At one of the Beaumont’s house parties, Bertrand and I ended up alone in the study. I’d always thought the world of him, but I didn’t think he’d ever look twice at me. But that night, we talked for hours…and then…well, I’ll spare you the details.”

“Thank god” Drake huffed.

“But suffice to say, this little miracle was the result. I found out I was pregnant about a month after the party. I went to tell Bertrand, but before I could even get a word in, he started giving me a big speech about how we couldn’t be together.”

“Wait…are you saying…?” Drake asked.

“Bertrand doesn’t even know about Bartie. I tried to play it cool and tell him that I was fine. But as I left the Beaumont house, I couldn’t help crying.”

“And that’s where I come in…” Maxwell interjected, cowering under Drake’s icy glare. “I saw Savannah in tears and got the whole story out of her. I couldn’t convince her to stay but…I promised her I’d help her.”

“Maxwell…the envelope…the debt, have you been sending Savannah money?” Riley asked.

“Oh..ah, you figured it out, huh? Yeah, I try to help out here and there,” he said.

“Maxwell is being modest. He’s been amazing. This apartment, all of our food and clothes…He sent us money for everything so I wouldn’t have to get a job,” Savannah explained.

“Well, little Bartie needs his Mama. And I knew things would be hard without Bertrand in the picture.”

“Savannah, why don’t you want Bertrand to know?” Drake asked.

“Oh, Drake. Can you imagine anything more pathetic? I don’t want Bertrand to feel like he’s obligated. It was _my_ decision to go through with the pregnancy and become a single mother. I don’t want to drag him into this now or make him feel pressured to be with me because of Bartie. He made his feelings quite clear on the matter, and I don’t want him thinking that I had Bartie to get him to change his mind,” Savannah explained. “I might not have Bertrand, but at least I have my pride,” she said as tears began falling from her eyes again. Drake wrapped his arm comfortingly around his sister while Riley bounced Bartie on her knee.

“Who’s the best baby?” Maxwell cooed. “You are Bartie…you’re the best baby.”

“Savannah…what made you decide to name him Bartie?” Riley asked.

“I wanted him to have _something_ from his father. And I couldn’t give him the Beaumont name…but I could honor Bertrand by using his father’s name. His full name is Barthelemy Jackson Walker. And despite everything, as crazy as it sounds, it makes me happy to think of Bertrand every time I look at Bartie.”

“That’s not crazy, Savannah…you cared about Bertrand,” Riley said.

“I did…and even if we can’t be together, I like to think that Bertrand is happy, wherever he is, whatever he’s doing.”

Riley looked anxiously between Maxwell and Drake, all three stammering for something to say.

“Umm...” Drake started, finally breaking the awkward silence, “are we talking about the same Bertrand I know?”

“What are you trying to say?” Savannah asked.

“Well, he’s…” Drake got out before Riley elbowed him in the ribs.

“Nothing!” Riley proclaimed. “He seems…um…perfectly content.”

“Why do I get the sense there is something you’re not telling me?” Savannah said.

“It’s nothing, Sav…it’s just Bertrand being Bertrand. You know how he is, he sets a high bar for everyone, especially himself. He’s doing well, I promise,” Maxwell assured her.

“I don’t know if I could bare knowing if he were miserable…it’s been hard enough to live with hurting you, Drake. I…know this hasn’t been easy for you, but I really am glad to see you, and I’m glad to see you have people supporting you,” Savannah said, looking at Riley. “I was dreading this, I didn’t want to be a disappointment to you, but you’re taking it a lot better than I thought you would.”

“Honestly? I missed you so much, I just want to be here for you however I can, like I would have been from the beginning if you had just told me. And I want to be here for Bartie, too.”

Savannah leaned over to hug Drake as fresh tears, but tears of joy, fell from her eyes. She whispered ‘ _thank you_ ’ to him before turning to Riley.

“I should thank you too…for supporting him…convincing him to stay today, he needs that.”

“You don’t have to thank me…” Riley said, looking over at Drake, “we support each other…it’s just kinda what we do.”

Savannah looked between Drake and Riley, turning to give a knowing look and smile to Maxwell.

“Well, Maxwell has told me so much about you, I feel like I already know you.”

“Really?” Riley said, surprised.

“Of course! Maxwell keeps me up to date on all of the courtly gossip.”

The group fell into an easy conversation for a while, talking about court, the tour and Savannah’s life in Paris while time passed quickly. When the clock chimed, Drake looked up and realized that the hour had gotten rather late.

“We should be getting back before Lady Riley is missed,” he said.

“Umm…who’s this ‘Lady Riley’ of which you speak,” Riley joked.

“Quit it, Nevin…always the smart ass.”

“I understand,” Savannah said. “It wouldn’t do for Bertrand to get too curious and discover where you’ve been.”

“Oh, please,” Riley said. “If there’s no courtly event to ‘train’ me for, Bertrand certainly isn’t looking for me. He won’t come poking around, I promise.”

“Thank you…for keeping this in confidence, and for coming today. I’ll treasure this memory.”

“You need a family portrait to remember it!” Maxwell declared.

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Drake said.

“It most certainly is!” Riley said. “A token to remember this day!”

“I would like that,” Savannah said, looking pleadingly at Drake. “Something to show Bartie what Uncle Drake looks like so he doesn’t forget you.”

“I should hope I’ll actually get to see him now, so he won’t forget but if it’s that important to you, fine” Drake relented.

“If only you had something nice to wear,” Riley said, nudging Drake.

“You’re talking about my suit. You want me to put it on, don’t you?”

“What a nice idea. I’ll get dressed up, too,” Savannah said.

“Really?” Drake asked. “You’re gonna take her side? Where’s the family loyalty?”

“Zip it and go change, Walker,” Riley said, pointing to the bathroom.

Drake grabbed the bag he had dropped by the door when they arrived and Savannah retreated to her bedroom. While they waited, Maxwell and Riley sat in a tension filled silence as he fidgeted nervously under her glare.

“You realize you screwed up here, right?” Riley finally said.

“Ri, I…I know. But…I was in a lose-lose situation and honestly, when this all went down, Drake and I weren’t as close as we are now.”

“That’s not an excuse, Max. Drake was still your friend…life long friend.”

“I know…don’t you think I know. But Savannah was pregnant with my nephew…she needed me more and keeping it to myself was the _only_ thing she asked of me.”

“I get it, Max, I do…just don’t expect Drake to be so understanding,” Riley said just as the siblings returned to the room decked out in their formal wear. Drake was wearing his grey suit from the Coronation which brought back so many memories and emotions for Riley that she had to push down. Savannah wore a full-length, fitted purple gown, one of the few pieces of clothing she still had from her time at court.

“What are you two…” Drake said.

“Nothing…” Riley interrupted.

“Let’s do this,” Maxwell said, pulling out his phone. “It’s a little too dark in here. Let’s go out on the balcony so I can get more natural light.”

“This is fine, Maxwell” Drake grumbled.

“No…I am the photographer here, so do as I say.”

Riley hipped checked Maxwell and shook her head at him.

“But not as you do,” Drake sneered.

“You haven’t changed at all, Drake,” Savannah chuckled. “Come on…a little sunlight won’t kill you,” she said taking Drake’s hand and pulling him to the balcony.

The Walker family posed against the balcony railing with the streets of Paris glowing in the background under the bright afternoon sunlight. Maxwell snapped a perfect moment in time; brother and sister happy to be reunited with a happy baby beaming between them.

“You can send it to my printer,” Savannah said after observing the photo on Maxwell’s phone.

Maxwell linked to the Bluetooth printer and with a few quick taps on his phone, two photos started to emerge from the printer. Savannah took the first photo off just as it finished and dropped into the tray, handing it to Drake.

“Oh, this is…wow!” Drake exclaimed. “Here, Riley, take a look.”

Riley stepped up next to Drake, laying her head gently on his shoulder, peering down at the photo in his hand.

“I always knew you were a total marshmallow at heart,” Riley said, smiling up at him.

“When it comes to family…” Drake said.

“Even Drake can’t keep up the grumpy act,” Savannah finished for him.

Drake laughed, handing the photo back to Savannah. She gently pushed his hand back, not taking the photo.

“I want you to take a copy, too. That one’s for you,” Savannah said.

“Really?” Drake exclaimed, looking at her in surprise.

“So you can think of us and remember this happy day.”

“I’ll gladly keep it, but I hope I’ll get to see you more from now on too.”

“I…I think I’d like that,” Savannah said, falling into his arms and embracing him again. “I love you, big brother.”

“Love you, too, sis. And you too, little guy,” he said, placing a kiss on Bartie’s head.

Riley and Maxwell stood looking on until Savanah waved them over.

“Get in here, both of you!” she said.

“Group hug!” Riley declared as Drake groaned and everyone laughed. Savannah then hugged them each one more time, one-by-one and thanked them again.

“I’m here for you anytime,” Riley said as the two women embraced.

“Thank you, Riley. That means a lot. I haven’t had many people in my life lately. But I think you’re someone I’d like to get to know better.” Drake looked on with the most content and peaceful expression that either Riley or Savannah had ever seen on his face. “Plus, I think you’re good for my brother…and I think he thinks so too,” Savannah whispered.

“I hope so,” Riley whispered back, giving Savannah a look full of hope and longing as they parted. Savannah squeezed Riley’s hand and reassuringly nodded.

“Now, we’d really better get back before we’re missed,” Drake said, breaking into the women’s moment.

Riley, Maxwell and Drake said final goodbyes, with instructions to give Bartie goodnight kisses for them and headed out the door. Since Maxwell had come in the limo, the group rode back to the train together. They rode in uncomfortable silence for a few blocks until Maxwell mustered the courage to speak.

“That went really well, I think,” he said.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook” Drake said while Riley gave Maxwell an ‘ _I-told-you-so’_ look.

“I…yeah…um” Maxwell stammered.

“You knew where Savannah was this whole time!” Drake said, his voice rising to the level of shouting. “You know how worried I’ve been about her!”

“Drake, I was just respecting her wishes, I swear. She never asked for the money or support. Like I told Riley, the _only_ thing she ever asked of me was not to tell anyone.”

“You could’ve said _something_ …at least dropped a hint that she was okay!”

“You’re right…you’re right, I just didn’t know what to do. I’m really, _really_ sorry, Drake. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I just couldn’t…It wasn’t my secret to tell. We’re still friends, right?”

Drake silently glared at Maxwell who fidgeted under the silence and scrutiny.

“You…you think about that for a while, and we’ll come back to it,” Maxwell muttered.

Silence prevailed for the rest of the ride until they arrived back at the train. Maxwell hurried off to his sleeping compartment while Drake walked Riley back to her suite. Riley entered the train car but Drake stopped and leaned against the door frame and let out a sigh as if he had been holding a breath for hours.

“Well, here you are” Drake said.

“Yep. Here I am,” Riley said, regarding Drake curiously while he avoided her gaze and anxiously tapped his fingers on the edge of the door. He stood nervously silent for an uncomfortable moment, swaying on his feet like he didn’t know whether to enter or not.

“Hey, Nevin…” he finally said. “Thanks for convincing me to do that.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Drake.”

“I…I want you to know…you’re a good friend, Nevin,” he said with a sad smile, making the decision to turn and go. “Good night.”

“Drake!” Riley called out before he could close the door. He turned back with the same forlorn look on his face. “Don’t go. I want you to stay. I want…I want you,” she said pleadingly.

“Nevin…” Drake sighed.

“What? Are you telling me the feeling isn’t mutual?”

“Nevin…you know damn well that it is.”

“So, what?” Riley said, walking across the room until she was standing right in front of him. “This all comes down to will power?”

Riley stood on her tiptoes and leaned in, so close that their lips were almost touching…“don’t call me a friend, Drake. We both know that’s not what this is.” Drake took in a sharp breath at the closeness, but didn’t flinch.

“You are a model of restraint, Drake,” she said, stepping back.

“Don’t tempt me too far, Nevin. I’m only human.”

Riley stepped up again, closing the last of the distance, barely a breath between them and pressed her lips to Drake’s, kissing him deeply. Drake’s right arm came around Riley’s waist, pulling her flush up against him as he stepped into the room and used his free hand to pull the door shut. In an instant, he spun her around and pinned her to the wall, never breaking the kiss. Passion built as their tongues battled for dominance and they were both desperate for air. Drake pulled away with a groan.

“You’re all of my weaknesses, you know that?” he said, pressing his forehead to hers and softly kissing the tip of her nose.

“It’s one of my charms,” Riley smiled, pulling him into another kiss.

“Now I really am leaving,” Drake said when they finally broke apart.

“You’re really going to leave me wanting?” Riley said, giving him her most seductive look.

“You don’t make it easy,” he sighed reaching for the door.

“Good night, Drake.”

“See you tomorrow, temptress. Don’t forget, we’ve got a big night.”

“You mean the bachelor party? I couldn’t forget, even if I wanted to…I’m ready.”

“Good. I’m ready too, and I’ll be right there with you.”

“I’d never doubt it,” she said. “And if I’m going to confront Bastien and finally get some answers…there’s no one else I’d want with me.”

“Always,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Good night.”

Riley pulled off her dress, crawled into bed and fell into perhaps the most content and peaceful sleep she’d had in weeks. Not even worries over confronting Bastien could keep her awake when she had the promise of sweet dreams from the feeling of Drake on her lips.


	13. Falling Slowly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley explores Paris on the free day leading up to the night of Liam's second bachelor party. The party doesn't go quite as they had hoped in terms of the investigation. After an unexpected scene at the speakeasy, Riley and Drake end up at a dive bar nursing their wounds over whiskey and a drinking game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers:  
> ***All characters, general story and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than original scenes, my MCs backstory and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Falling slowly, eyes that know me  
And I can’t go back, And moods that take me and erase me  
And I’m painted black, Well, you have suffered enough  
And warred with yourself, It’s time that you won  
  
_

Morning came and Riley lay in her bed enjoying the peace and quiet. There had been no need to set an alarm, no Maxwell, nowhere to rush to. Just as they had in Italy, the court had a free day. Most of the ladies had planned to go shopping but since Riley’s cards were nearing maxed out and her savings was depleted from the social season and tour, she opted not to join them. Drake had taken the opportunity to go back and spend another day with Savannah. Though he had asked Riley to join him, she politely declined to give the siblings some much needed one-on-one time. In her suite, she video chatted her brothers and her dad, keeping things light and low on detail. They had all come up with a super simple code regarding the investigation…her family would simply ask how the tour was going and she would either say ‘progressing nicely’ or ‘dragging on’ to let them know if they had found anything new. Today she had told her father things were progressing nicely but added ‘we’ll see what tonight brings’ to let him know they were looking into something that day. As he had promised, her father was nothing but supportive, even though he had begged her to come home more than once. She never told him that she had flown to Philly and true to his word, Drew hadn’t either. Once she had caught up with everyone, she got dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans, a light pink blouse and a chic black, military-style blazer, threw her hair in a slicked back bun and headed out for the day to explore on her own.

It wasn’t the same as seeing it at night, but she managed to take herself to the Eiffel Tower and enjoy the sweeping views of Paris. She walked down the Champs-Elysees to see the Arc de Triomphe before finally spending the rest of the day at the Louvre. Having studied some art history, she spent most of her time among the paintings seeing some of her favorites by Rembrandt, Bellini and of course, da Vinci. As the hour grew late, the reminder on her phone pinged to head back to the train. It was a short walk from the museum so she strolled through the streets rather than taking a taxi.

After dropping her things in her room, Riley moved through the train toward the boutique when the door on the other end of the dining car was thrown open. Maxwell came barreling through pulling Drake along behind him.

“Riley! There you are!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“Good evening to you too!” Riley replied.

“Oh, trust me, it’s a very good one,” Maxwell said, shoving Drake forward. “Ta-daaaa! Look upon my masterpiece!”

Riley took in Drake, wearing designer, dark wash jeans that were perfectly fitted as if they had been made for him, accessorized with a chocolate-brown belt. Up top he wore a slim-fit emerald green dress shirt with a subtle pattern to it, opened just enough at the collar to see the tone muscles of his neck and it was topped with a fitted navy-blue blazer. Riley was pretty sure she had begun to drool and had to wipe her mouth to check before she could speak.

“Umm…wow, you look ho…you look good, Drake.”

“Pretty great, huh?” Maxwell said proudly. “Drake, I told you the compliments would be rolling in!”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the suit,” Drake muttered.

“Only the best for my good buddy, Drake. We’re still buddies, right?”

“Don’t push it.”

“So, is that the plan for tonight…dazzle and distract everyone with Drake’s new suit?” Riley asked.

“Ha ha, Nevin. Actually, Maxwell will create a distraction for us while we confront Bastien.”

“Easy. Distraction is my middle name.”

“Maxwell…if you’re going to keep using that line, why don’t you just legally change it already?” Riley joked.

“Bertrand won’t let me,” Maxwell said dejectedly.

“You two are impossible,” Drake said. “Everyone on board with the plan?”

“Yep…I’m all good!” Riley said.

“So, are we ready to go?” Maxwell said.

“Wait a second. If I’ve got to get dressed up, shouldn’t Nevin have to put something frilly or sparkly on?”

“I was about to before you two showed up and distracted me.”

“Then we’re just in time to get you ready to paaaarty!” Maxwell exclaimed, bounding back in the direction of the boutique.

“You can’t show up looking all hot and expect me not to forget what I was doing,” Riley whispered as they followed after Maxwell. Drake just laughed as they entered the boutique and found Maxwell already digging through the racks of dresses.

“Are we looking for anything particular?” Riley asked.

“The bachelor party’s gonna be at a classy speakeasy, so…” Maxwell said, producing a dress with a flourish, “this would be perfect!”

“Maxwell, isn’t that a little…uh…revealing?” Drake said from the doorway.

“Riley can pull it off!”

Riley took the dress and stepped into the fitting room and was out in a flash. The black, sequined mini dress sparkled in the light. The neckline was an exaggerated sweetheart, with a sheer black modesty panel that wrapped halter style around her neck. Drake wasn’t wrong, it was revealing. Her back was almost completely exposed and her ample cleavage was more than visible through the modesty panel but not ‘hanging out’ and if she was honest, she felt amazing in it. Maxwell gave her a silver arm cuff that looked like climbing vines to accessorize the outfit.

“So…what do you guys think?” Riley asked.

“You look perfect” Maxwell said.

“It’s really…uh…wow…” Drake stammered.

“Let’s go, gentlemen” she declared, heading for the door. “Your turn to drool,” she whispered to Drake as she brushed against him in the doorway.

“Ah…yeah, let’s get out of here,” Drake said.

Outside the train, they slid into the Beaumont limo with Riley taking the seat beside Drake and headed for the party. After a short ride through the streets Riley had walked earlier in the day, they pulled up to an entrance gate of a compound.

“Ok, here comes the guard inspection. Be cool,” Drake said.

Maxwell kicked back in his seat and threw his feet up on the minibar…“I never _stop_ being cool,” he declared.

Drake rolled down the window and handed their invitation to a member of the King’s Guard. Riley recognized the guard as one of the men who forced her to pack her room on Coronation night. While he didn’t seem to recognize her, he was eying her suspiciously.

“I’m with Drake,” Riley explained as she cozied up Drake and wrapped an arm around him.

“Nevin!”

“Ahem!” she said, giving him a little nudge. “Isn’t that right, darling?” Riley leaned in and gave Drake a kiss on the cheek and a noticeable blush quickly rose to his cheeks.

“…R-right…Darling,” he finally replied.

The guard nodded and waved the limo through the gate while Drake leaned over to Riley.

“Next time warn me if you’re going to do something like that,” he whispered.

“Nope…I’ve told you before, you’re cute when you’re flustered,” she whispered back, playfully nipping his earlobe before she pulled away.

“Have I told you that you don’t play fair?”

With the guard no longer scrutinizing them, Drake shifted nervously in his seat but Riley maintained her position at his side.

“Smooth work, team,” Maxwell praised as the car moved into the compound.

“I’m so glad that worked…right, darling?” Riley giggled.

“Right,” Drake muttered just as the limo rolled to a stop.

“Alright…I’ll head inside first and make a show of being fashionably on time,” Maxwell said. “No one will suspect Drake if he’s late.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t lose yourself at the snack table,” Drake replied.

“No worries. I’m a professional.”

“I’m still worried,” Drake scoffed.

“Agent Breakdance, breaching the perimeter,” Maxwell said, reaching for the door and slipping out of the limo.

Drake sighed and leaned his head back on the seat with his eyes closed.

“Are you thinking of a code name?” Riley asked. “You could be like a King’s Guard agent.”

“I guess we’ve got some time to kill,” he said, lifting his head and turning to Riley. “What do you think my code name should be?”

“Grumpy,” Riley laughed.

“Come on, Nevin. I want it to be something cool like ‘Danger’ or ‘Thunderstorm’.”

“How about Marshmallow?”

“Oh, no…Don’t do that to me, Nevin. I said _cool_.”

“Too late. Your code name is Marshmallow.”

“Fine, if I’m Agent Marshmellow, you’re Agent…”

“Agent Perfect,” Riley suggested.

“Nope…Agent Bossypants.”

“I am not bossy!” Riley protested.

“You most certainly are…you’re always telling me what to do!”

“I like to think of it as providing you with a little direction.”

“Direction followed by very demanding nudges or elbows to my ribs!” Drake declared.

“Hey, take that back,” Riley said as she shoved his shoulder.

“Point and case!” Drake said. “I’m ready to go inside. Let’s go inside.”

“Aye-aye Agent Marshmallow,” Riley said with another quick kiss on the cheek.

Riley followed Drake out of the limo and into the speakeasy where all the noblemen from court were already sitting around, socializing, eating steaks and drinking. With the odor of cigar smoke filling the air, Riley felt her nose tingle and her stomach roll queasily.

“Wow!” Drake exclaimed at the sight.

“Drake…this is like everything you’ve ever wanted…manly décor, steaks…whiskey!”

“Well, not everything,” he said with a look of longing as he gazed down at her. “But we’re checking _a lot_ of boxes.”

“Sorry I’m keeping you from this.”

“Don’t sweat it. It’s usually the company that makes the party, and you’re better company than everyone here. But…wouldn’t it help us blend in if we got a couple glasses of whiskey?”

“Awww, thanks, Drake. You have a valid point; I wouldn’t say no to some whiskey.”

Drake grabbed two tumblers of whiskey from a passing server and handed one to Riley. They each savored the flavor of the obviously expensive alcohol, alternately sneaking glances at each other and scanning the crowd. Across the room, Drake spotted Maxwell chowing down on some steak with another noble.

“I’m going to go remind Agent Breakdance that he has a job to do.”

While Drake strolled across the room to talk to Maxwell, Riley ducked into a shadowy corner to avoid being seen. Unfortunately, her efforts to blend in and hide were futile when Liam appeared at her side.

“I don’t recall seeing you on the guest list,” he teased. “I supposed I shouldn’t be surprised to see you turn up here.”

“I do have a thing about crashing your bachelor parties,” she replied. “But tonight I am here on business.”

“Oh…I hope I haven’t interrupted anything or blown your cover.”

“No, you haven’t…but I am trying to keep a low profile,” she said coolly

“Can I offer you any assistance with your business?”

“No offense, Liam, but as the King, you’re the most high-profile person in the room.”

“Good point. I wouldn’t want to ruin whatever you’re working on. Perhaps you’d better grab a cigar and whiskey to better blend in?”

“Very funny” she said, raising her glass to him and turning back to surveying the room. 

A moment later, she felt the warmth of his breath on her neck as he leaned in, whispering in her ear, “While you’re unexpectedly gracing my presence, I have a proposal for you. There’s a particularly magical spot along the Seine, a bridge with columns crowned by gold statutes. I’ve been watching it for the past couple days, and around midnight, it’s completely deserted. If you’ll have me, I’d like to take you away from all of this…from our enemies and the plots against us…and just have an evening with you in the heart of Paris.”

Riley had closed her eyes while he spoke, feeling equal parts stirred and annoyed by his closeness and his words. If she could go back, before the Coronation, before her feelings for Drake, before the social season, to when this man captured her attention in New York…the night in Paris that Liam was offering was everything she would have wanted in building a relationship with him. When she opened her eyes, Drake was watching them from across the room and just the sight of him strengthened her resolve.

“Liam, no,” she said firmly, turning to face him. “I keep telling you I can’t do this, but you keep asking me to. In a perfect world, where the last six months hadn’t happened, that would sound like a magical evening, and we could go to a deserted, romantic bridge because we _wanted_ to, not because we had to sneak around. Please, please stop asking me to hide in the shadows with you.”

“Riley, I just want time with you. You said yourself, we haven’t had enough of it…I know you need more from me, if we are to have a future when this is all over, and I just want to give it to you.”

“This kind of time isn’t what I need, Liam. Enjoy your party,” she said, turning to go only to be faced with Neville and Rashad.

“Ah, Liam. So this is where you ran off to,” Neville said.

“And I see you have a woman at your bachelor party,” Rashad added.

“Lady Riley seems to have a tendency to show up at such events,” Liam jested.

“Lady Hana isn’t with you, by any chance, is she?” Neville asked.

“No…not right now,” Riley replied hesitantly.

“Ah, a pity. I would enjoy seeing her again.”

“Neville, I’m sure Hana would enjoy the chance to see you again as well,” she lied. Catching movement from the corner of her eye, Riley looked across the room and saw Drake waving her over. “If you’ll excuse me gentlemen…there is somewhere I need to be.”

Before she could move, Liam’s warm breath was in her ear once more…“Good luck,” he whispered. She looked up at him with a forlorn smile before bowing and taking her leave. Slowly she made her way to Drake, careful not to draw attention to herself. Once she was at his side, Maxwell moved to the center of the room with a drink in hand and cleared his throat.

“Ladies and gentleman…” he said loudly, his eyes going wide for a moment before composing himself, “except that there are no ladies here. Nope. None at all.”

All eyes turned to Maxwell giving Drake and Riley the opening they needed. They moved quietly along the back wall while Maxwell continued with a signature _Maxwell_ toast to the King…complete with a ridiculous list of thank yous for everyone from the janitors to his tailor and complementing the perfect fit of his underwear. Riley couldn’t help but laugh at how invested Maxwell was in his distraction duties. Just as they reached the curtain to the back room where the Guard was stationed, Riley felt a hand come around her arm and yank her into an alcove. When she spun around she was face-to-face with Bastien, Drake standing stoically at her side.

“Drake, I see you’ve brought a security breach with you,” Bastien said. “I know you two are close, but I’m afraid Lady Riley will have to leave.”

“Oh…you’re actually going to tell me to leave this time?…How nice of you to refrain from bodily removal,” Riley scoffed.

“I won’t hesitate to do that if it comes to it. It is your choice, you can leave quietly.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I talk to you,” Riley demanded.

“I’ve given you your options, Lady Riley. I am afraid talking isn’t one of them.”

“The hell it isn’t,” Drake growled. “We’re going to _talk_.”

“Drake, I’ll escort you out too, if I have to.”

“Last time you tried that, a couple of your men ended up on the ground,” Drake said. “Now get your hands off of her and listen!”

“Bastien, you’re a traitor,” Riley blurted before the guard could speak again.

“Nonsense won’t help you here, Lady Riley.”

“Cut the crap, Bas. We know you were the one who instructed Penelope to sabotage Riley. I bet you were behind Olivia leaving court too.”

“I…” Bastien said hesitantly before regaining his commanding composure. “This isn’t the time or the place for games.”

“Penelope confessed…and your hesitation speaks volumes. There’s no reason to play dumb!” Drake yelled, perhaps too loudly.

“I’m a servant of the Crown. Why would I care who Liam chooses?” Bastien scoffed.

“That’s what we want to know!” Riley demanded.

“I keep asking myself why you would do something like this, and it doesn’t make any sense, unless…” Drake said, “someone else must’ve had a hand in it. I want to know who.”

“Drake, you don’t want to do this,” Bastien warned.

“Please, Bas…help us out here. I know you…I know you’re a good guy. You wouldn’t…”

“Dammit, Drake! I can’t!” Bastien yelled, cutting him off.

“Bastien, please answer us…if not for me, for Drake…please,” Riley begged.

“I’m sorry, Lady Riley” he said, taking her by the arm, “I truly am, but it’s time to go.”

Drake stepped up and grabbed Bastien’s free arm, fire blazing in his eyes…“Fine. We’ll leave. But take your god damn hands off of her!”

As the two men stared each other down, Bastien released his hold on Riley.

“Drake…I’m sorry. I didn’t want…This wasn’t personal. I swear,” Bastien said, the closest he’d come to admission.

“It feels pretty damn personal from where I’m standing,” Drake growled.

Frozen for a moment by the thick tension in the air, no one moved until they were all startled by an indignant voice from behind them.

“I step out for ten minutes and come back to chaos. What is the meaning of this prolonged disturbance?” Bertrand demanded before finally noticing Riley. “Lady Riley?” he exclaimed.

“You,” Drake shouted, lunging forward before anyone could stop him. “I found my sister,” he said, holding Bertrand by the lapels.

“Lady Savannah?” Bertrand squeaked, clearing his throat. “That’s splendid news. She is well, yes?” He said trying to hide his fear.

“Like you’d care,” Drake spit.

“We all do. Her disappearance was quite a mystery,” Bertrand insisted.

“She told me _everything_ that happened between you two.”

“I…” Bertrand stammered, attempting to back away.

“She was in love with you! How could you let her leave with her heart broken?” Drake demanded.

“I tried to reach her, but she disappeared from everyone, including me.”

“Not _everyone_. Maxwell knew,” Drake revealed.

“He…what?”

Bertrand broke free from Drake’s hold and rounded on Maxwell who had entered the fray but then attempted to slink off unnoticed at the mention of his name.

“Maxwell Percival Beaumont. Tell me this man is lying,” Bertrand demanded.

“Er…well,” Maxwell stuttered, unable to form words.

“Maxwell actually had the heart to support her, which is more than you ever did.”

“Support her? How?” Bertrand asked, genuinely confused.

“You…ah..you know my excessive spending habits,” Maxwell said, finally finding his voice. “Well, I’d send most of it to her.”

“I knew it! So if you weren’t spending frivolously, where the hell did the peacocks come from?”

“Well, the peacocks really did happen, but that was a one-time thing. Everything else was made up. The jet-skis, the expensive wine…I’d hide the cash in our study until it was time to send it off. Drake and Riley found it though before the Beaumont bash…and well, that’s how they found Savannah.”

“Now you know where that extra money was going,” Drake stated.

“But…I didn’t know she was in distress. What happened?” Bertrand asked.

“I don’t know, maybe she needed help raising _your kid!_ ” Drake yelled.

“A…a child?” Bertrand whispered, bringing his hand to his mouth. “When did…? Savannah…was pregnant? I didn’t know. You have to believe me. I didn’t know,” Bertrand pleaded.

“Savannah told me you gave a nice long speech about how you two could never be together…she never got the _chance_ to tell you before you ripped her heart out!”

“You don’t understand…the last time I saw her…what I said…she misunderstood.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit!” Drake said, once again grabbing Bertrand by the collar. “You broke my sister’s heart. You nobles think you can just play with us commoners and throw us away when you’re done. Well, this time, you’re going to have to answer for it,” Drake said, clinching his hand till his knuckles were white and cocking his fist.

Riley and Maxwell shared a look of panic and in an instant, Maxwell jumped in front of Bertrand, breaking Drake’s hold while Riley grabbed Drake’s fist.

“Out of the way,” Drake yelled.

“Drake! Please, stop…is this what Savannah would want? All of you fighting each other?” Riley said.

Drake lowered his fist as Riley felt the tension begin to melt off of him. He looked down at his feet, ashamed, as Bastien stepped between him and Maxwell.

“That’s enough…all of you, out!” Bastien demanded. “All of you!” he emphasized at Bertrand who had tried to move further into the room. “This incident has caused enough of a disturbance.”

Bertrand grabbed Maxwell by the arm and stomped out of the speak easy. Riley stepped forward and took Drake’s hand and with a final glare at Bastien, turned to leave. When they got outside, the Beaumont limo was surprisingly still waiting for them, Bertrand and Maxwell having departed in the car Bertrand arrived in. Inside the privacy and silence of the limo, Drake slumped into his seat and closed his eyes.

“Damn, Nevin…I’m sorry,” he croaked out, sounding like he was fighting tears. “I was such an idiot.”

“It’s been a rough couple days, but…I’ve never seen you so worked up.”

“Rough days don’t excuse what happened. I need to get myself under control. I just keep giving you reason…”

“Don’t…you need to stop. I didn’t tell you about my past so you could compare yourself. You’re not Michael, I’m not scared of you Drake.”

“Maybe not…but I’m not Liam either, always poised and in control…you don’t need someone who flies off the handle. Between seeing him whispering to you tonight, confronting Bastien and then seeing Bertrand…I just, lost it.”

“Oh, Drake…you may not believe me, but I understand how you feel…it’s a lot to deal with and I can see why you’d lose it. But you can’t keep making this about Liam either…he’s not poised and in control, it’s a façade…where you feel emotions strongly, he avoids them…and that is something that has bothered me for a long time. What you saw tonight was him going against my wishes and asking me to meet him later, _again_ and I said no, _again_. This whole thing is a _mess_ but there are two things you can count on…I’m not judging you and I _am_ here for you.”

Drake sighed and finally opened his eyes, turning to face Riley. “First the Beaumonts, now Bastien…Can we trust _anyone_ here?”

“Each other…we can trust each other.”

“I need to get away…away from this _two-faced_ world and all it’s _damned_ lies.”

“What? Don’t say that, where are you going to go?”

“I don’t mean run, Nevin…I just mean a little escape. I saw a dive bar on the way over that should have plenty of drinks and zero nobles.”

“Oh, thank god…if that’s the case, count me in. A dive bar sounds like the perfect cure for all this drama.”

“Really?” Drake said, finally seeming to crack a small smile. “Then let’s get out of here.”

Drake directed the driver to head back toward the train, telling him he’d point out the bar when he saw it. A few minutes later, the driver stopped in front of a little hole in the wall that reminded Riley of her favorite New York hangouts. She was surprised and pleased once they were inside to see that it was actually an American themed bar.

“First round’s on me” Drake declared.

“You mean you didn’t pick this place just for the ambiance?” Riley jested.

Drake approached the bartender and gestured to a bottle of whiskey behind the counter while Riley picked a table. Drake joined her moments later with two tumblers and the full bottle, immediately pouring them each a double shot.

“So was that easier than ordering pasta in Italian?” she asked.

“Hey, drinks are an even more universal language than food, just point at what you want and they’ll pour it.”

“How on earth did you spot this place? I didn’t even see it when we drove to the speakeasy.”

“It’s a gift. Drop me in any country and I can find you a dive bar.”

“Did you learn that on more solo expeditions while Liam was stuck in fancy parties?”

“Yeah…I’ve kinda gotten used to being on my own.”

“Aww, Drake…I wish I could have been there to keep you company.”

“You know what? Me too,” he admitted.

“Well, I’m here now, and you’re going to have a hard time getting rid of me.”

“Get rid of you, Nevin? Never,” he said, holding her gaze for a moment before finally looking away. Riley’s heart fluttered as it did anytime he even remotely admitted his feeling for her, but she knew better than to push him on the subject.

“So…should we talk about what happened back there?” she asked. “I’m sorry we never really got a chance to talk about everything after we left Savannah’s place. Things, ah…went in a different direction when we got back that night, and then I didn’t want to impose on your visit with her today. Judging from what happened with Bertrand, I assume you’re still upset and thinking about it even after seeing her again.”

“Believe me, I wish I could _stop_ thinking about it. I’ve worried about Savannah every single day since she ran away. I never stopped looking for her, and a few hours with her over the last two days doesn’t erase that. And finding her gave me so much more to think about…I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that Maxwell knew where she was and didn’t tell me, or the fact that my own sister didn’t want me to find her.”

“Can you take any comfort in the fact that Maxwell was just trying to respect her wishes and that she was actually _happy_ that you did find her? I know it sucks to feel betrayed by Maxwell, but it’s what she asked him to do. He was trying to protect her…I think deep down you know that, you said as much to Bertrand tonight. And isn’t that what you would’ve done in his shoes?”

“Maybe you’re right. I just hate the fact that she thought she needed protecting from me. I know I’m not always the easiest person to get along with…”

“True.”

“But I like to think that I could’ve been there for her in some way. After tonight, I’m starting to feel like I can’t trust anyone.”

“Oh, Drake…I know Bastien was like family to you…maybe it’s just me trying to see the good again, but I have to believe there is more to it than we know.”

“Yeah…I just…it wasn’t just that he was around for us when we were kids. When my father died, Bastien was the one who looked out for us. He drove us to the funeral. Told us old stories about dad…I needed that, I needed someone to keep his memory alive.”

“I get it…believe me, I do and I am so sorry.”

“Me too, Nevin. Me too. I learned a long time ago that I couldn’t trust any nobles, but at least we had Bastien looking out for us from the inside. And now…I thought I knew him, but he’s involved in the plot against you…”

“Another thing that could have been avoided if I hadn’t gotten on that plane,” Riley frowned.

“Enough with that…this is on him…he knows how much I care about you, how much we all care about you, including Liam…especially Liam and he still did it. And Maxwell helped hide Savannah from me and…”

“Drake, I don’t think any of them meant to hurt you. I know this is hard, but I’m here for you. You _can_ count on that. No matter what else happens.”

Drake looked at Riley longingly, wetness threatening his eyes, looking more vulnerable than Riley had ever seen him. 

“You promise, Nevin?”

Riley reached across the table and took his hands in hers, “I promise. Why do you think I am here?”

“You…you mean a lot to me, Nevin. I’m glad you’re still on my side, at least.”

“You mean a lot to me too…and I’ll always be on you side,” she said, leaning over and affectionately placing her hand on his cheek. He sighed and relaxed into her touch. “Now…I think it’s time to do what we came here to do and escape. I officially declare all courtly drama off limits until tomorrow. This is a dive bar and we are not gonna let it go to waste.

“Does that mean…more drinks?” Drake asked with the slightest twitch in his lips.

“Very much so…we have a whole bottle. But…it also means it’s time for…a drinking game!” Riley exclaimed.

“Oh boy…what are we, twenty-year-old college kids?”

“No…you don’t even know what the game is yet!”

“I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

“It’s called ‘Never Have I Ever’. You say something you’ve never done, and if the other person _has_ done it…”

“Let me guess…they take a drink” he said with a hint of sarcasm.

“See? You’re a natural. Whoever’s had the least drinks after three rounds wins.”

“I don’t know about this. You sure you want to go up against _me_ in a drinking game.”

“That sounds like a challenge! I should warn you, I come from a large Irish family…drinking is kind of what we do.”

“If you say so, you’re on, Nevin!” he said, pouring them each a fresh shot. “It’s your game, so you get to start.”

“Hmmm…I guess I’d better make this first one count…Never have I ever been a prince’s handsome best friend.”

“Hey! There’s more to me than just being Liam’s best friend”

“So you admit that you’re handsome?”

“You…I…I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

“By being flattered. And, I think you should know by now that I know there is so much more to you than that…I just wanted a sure-fire winner and I got it…Drink!”

Drake rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh before raising his glass to his lips and taking a drink of his whiskey. After putting his glass on the table, he considered Riley thoughtfully, pondering his question.

“Never have I ever…been set up with someone,” he said.

“Really? You haven’t?”

“Not even once.”

“I guess Maxwell and Liam aren’t the kind of friends who go around setting you up, huh?”

“They’ve usually got their own things going on…and this isn’t about me…that was my sure-fire winner…Drink up!” he commanded. Riley took a long, lingering sip from her whiskey. “One to one, that’s more like it,” Drake said.

“Not for long. Never have I ever…imagined someone in this room naked,” Riley said with a laugh and a seductive smile. Drake’s eyes went wide and his jaw fell open but no words came out. “Is that a yes?” Riley asked. Silently, Drake took a long sip of his whiskey, never taking his eyes off of her.

“You never go easy on me, do you, Nevin?”

“Where would the fun be in that?”

“Don’t look so smug. How do you know that this has anything to do with you? Maybe I’m thinking of the bartender.”

Riley looked over her shoulder at the burly, tattooed man wearing a grungy white tank top pouring drinks and threw her head back in laughter. “I guess I’ll never _really_ know.”

“Well…I bet you weren’t counting on me calling your bluff either…” Drake said.

“Wha…what does that mean?”

“The point of the game is to say something you’ve _never_ done…and I say your full of shit.”

“Interesting theory…but he’s not my type,” she said nodding to the bartender. “Now…you’re turn…unless you want that to be your question.”

“You cheat…you’re a cheater…well, two can play at that game. Never have I ever…taken advantage of a barn raising to stare at someone with their shirt off.”

“Hey!”

“Am I wrong?”

“You know you could have kept your shirt _on_ that day.”

“Maybe I wanted you to look.”

Riley fought to hide her smile behind her glass as she took another sip of whiskey. Drake leaned back with a satisfied smirk on his face.

“Don’t get too comfortable…we’ve still got one more round!” Riley said.

“Bring it” Drake said confidently, quickly refreshing the glasses again. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Never have I ever…had a scandalous dream about the two of us in bed together.”

“Damn…you really play for keeps, Nevin. I’m kinda impressed.”

“A rare compliment from Drake Walker. And…the answer?” Riley said.

Drake locked eyes with Riley and slowly took a sip of his whiskey.

“I knew it!” Riley exclaimed.

“Don’t get too cocky…cause this time I’m really calling bullshit,” he declared.

Riley reached for her glass and seductively licked her lips before slowly drawing a sip of the brown liquid causing Drake to gulp. “Caught me,” she laughed as she brought the glass back to the table. “I couldn’t help myself…I just wanted you to admit it, but I’ll still let you have your question.”

“How generous of you…cheater. Alright…never have I ever…said ‘I love you’ to someone.”

Riley’s smile faded and her eyes went wide… “You’ve never been in love?” she asked.

“Not what I said, Nevin…I said I’ve never said it…now, are you drinking or not?”

Riley took a sip of her drink, regarding Drake curiously. “So…” she started.

“Nope…not up for discussion, Nevin. So, what’s the official score?”

“I…” she said before Drake shot her a ‘let it go’ look. “All tied up,” she declared.

“Umm…I think you and I kept very different counts, but fine…I’ll let you have this one.”

“That’s it? You aren’t going to give me a hard time?”

“Not right now, anyways. You were right. This was way less terrible than thinking about everything back at court.”

“So what did I win?” Riley asked teasingly.

“Win?…you said it was a tie and I didn’t know we were playing for stakes.”

“House rules. You owe me something,” Riley said with a mischievous look in her eye. “The stakes are…a kiss.”

“Nevin…are you sure about this?”

“I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want. But after tonight and everything that’s happened, I…”

Before Riley could finish, Drake had pulled her close and his lips found hers in a longing kiss. Their mouths moved against each other as if they couldn’t get enough. When they finally parted, they were both a little breathless, Riley with a content smile on her face.

“You don’t make this easy,” Drake said.

“I don’t know…it felt pretty easy to me.”

“Very funny. I mean, trying to control how I feel about you. I can’t.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Riley asked.

“I don’t know,” he said, reaching out to brush a strand of hair out of Riley’s face before catching himself and pulling back. “It feels right and…and wrong at the same time. I’d be lying if I said I regretted it, though.”

“I regret nothing, Drake,” Riley said, leaning in and pressing her lips gently to his. Drake deepened the kiss and when Riley pulled back, she playfully nipped his lower lip. “It’s not wrong,” she whispered.

A moment later, while they were silently lost in each other’s eyes, the bartender swung by their table and picked up the two tumblers and now empty bottle of whiskey. Riley looked around and saw that everyone else had left.

“We seem to keep shutting places down without even realizing it. He probably wants to close up,” she said.

“Yeah, we should get going, but thanks…for coming with me,” he said, extending his hand to help Riley from her seat. “I’m glad I didn’t end up drinking alone tonight.”

“You have to know by now that I lo…that I care about you,” she said, catching herself. “I’d never leave you to deal with all of this alone. You’re important to me.”

“I won’t pretend to understand why…but I’m glad,” he said sadly, his gaze lingering again before forcing himself to look away.

“Well, thankfully I’m annoyingly good at trying to prove a point…I’ll have to keep working to make you understand.”

“I think that’s a kind of annoying that even _I_ can tolerate. Now let’s go, or we’ll both be asleep on our feet tomorrow.”

Riley and Drake walked out of the bar and she stopped quickly to dismiss the limo. They slowly made their way back to the train, hand in hand until the guards came into view. When they arrived at Riley’s train compartment, Drake said a quick good-night, knowing that if he lingered, he’d yet again have to muster the strength to resist temptation. But resisting the temptation didn’t stop either of them from falling into bed, longing for the touch of the other.


	14. That Was A River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drake fills Riley in on his suspicions which rattle her. To get her mind off the investigation for a while, the friends spend a free day having fun before they get back to sleuthing during the tea party. Riley experiences a moment of confusion with matters of the heart but when the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head, she's ready to stake her claim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun with the original content of this chapter, the day out in Paris...I really hope you enjoy it. Once again this chapter had to be split because trying to do the full tea-party and camping was way too long so...camping is next week.
> 
> Disclaimers:  
> ***All characters, general story and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than original scenes, my MCs backstory and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_I’ve seen that look before  
Here comes that doubt again  
You think that girl was saw  
Was more than just a friend  
  
_

Riley woke the next morning to a knock on her door and groaned as she threw it open, figuring Maxwell was back to his old alarm antics. Instead, she was surprised to find Drake.

“Drake? Are you taking over alarm duties or did you miss me?”

“No…I mean, yes…I mean, oh hell…Nevin, this is serious, I had a realization,” he said. “There’s a very short list of people that Bastien would feel _compelled_ to obey, no matter what the order.”

“Ok…What are you suggesting?”

“This runs all the way to the top. We…we need to investigate the former king and queen.”

“No! No way, Drake. I mean…yeah, I’m the one being trashed but this scheme was just as much against Liam…their own son, would they do that to him? And if they did, how do we question them…they’re still powerful royalty.”

“We have to be careful…you’re good with people, I know you can handle it but no matter what, I want to make sure you always have back-up. I checked the itinerary. You’re due for a tea party with the Queen Mother tomorrow. That’s as good a place as any to get some time with her.”

“And what if it _is_ her? Then what do we do? You might think I can handle it but I don’t know if I stand a chance against her.”

“You’ll have me…and more importantly, Liam. We’ll figure something out. He’s the king now. You just have to be careful, Riley. If the former king and queen _are_ involved…then you’re in more danger than ever,” Drake said wrapping his arms around a very panic-stricken Riley. Her body shook against his chest and he felt the growing moisture dampening his shirt.

“Nevin, talk to me” he said.

Riley pulled from his embrace and smacked him, right where her tears had stained his shirt. “What are you trying to fucking do to me?”

“Woah, woah” he said holding his hands up in defense, “would you rather I not share my suspicions?”

“NO! I’d rather you not say ‘you’re in more danger than ever’,” she said in a deep voice trying to imitate him. “That’s not comforting.”

“Nevin, I was just…”

“I know…warning me, wanting me to be realistic. I get it, I’m just…”

“…scared” he finished for her.

“No…no, I was scared when Tariq was in my room. I was scared when I came back here to clear my name and I’ve been scared every day since, but I can push down scared and be strong. But now, now I’m terrified…I don’t know how to be strong when I feel like this,” she admitted.

“By leaning on me,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking deep into her eyes, “by leaning on all of us. I want you to keep your eyes open. I want you to be careful when you’re asking questions…but I _am_ going to be there, and so will Hana and Maxwell and Liam. None of us are going to let anything happen to you.”

“Yeah? How do we stop it? They have so much influence…they fucking got Penelope, too _nice_ for her own good Penelope, to do their bidding for Christ sake!”

“Nevin, they did all that before we were onto them…we know to be on our guard now and we have the King on our side.”

“Do we though?” she asked skeptically.

“Of course we do, he’s as invested in this as we all are.”

“How much does he even know about what we found out? Have you filled him in? Cause I sure as hell know he hasn’t asked me,” Riley said, flopping back on her bed and staring at the ceiling. Drake took a seat on the chair across from her and watched her as she seemed to be counting.

“What are you doing, Nevin?”

“Nothing, you wouldn’t get it,” she huffed.

“Really? This is what you’re going to do…shut me out?”

“I have anxiety, Drake,” she yelled. “Happy? You know another one of my weaknesses…I’ve tried to tell you, I’m not this strong person that you think I am, I’m just broken,” she cried covering her face with her hands. “I’m…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be snapping at you. I just feel like I’m spiraling right now, so I’m doing ‘grounding’.”

“Everyone has weaknesses, Nevin…I’m the last person that would judge anyone for that,” he said. “So, what’s grounding? You were counting.”

Riley sat up on the bed and looked him in the eye.

“Yes…I was counting, it…it keeps me from going into a full-blown panic attack. Five things I can see, four things I can feel, three things I can hear, two things I can smell and one thing I can taste…” she explained. “Thankfully, I’m usually good by the time I get to three, since you interrupted me,” she said with the slightest hint of a smile for the first time since he’d arrived.

“Sorry, Nevin…seems like I’m always screwing up. Can I help you finish?” he asked, leaning forward and taking her hands. “Tell me two things you can smell?”

Riley closed her eyes and took a deep breath…“coffee from the dining car and…your cologne,” she said, opening her eyes and holding his gaze.

“Good,” he said, not looking away. “And one thing you can taste?” he whispered.

Riley’s eyes flitted to Drake’s lips as she unconsciously licked her own; she leaned in and captured him in a kiss. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, filled with longing and desire like they’d experienced the night before. It was sweet and tender, filled with comfort. “You,” she whispered as she pulled away and pressed her forehead to his. “Thank you. I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be such a bitch. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you had just walked out.”

“I told you…I’m not going anywhere,” he said, pulling her to his chest.

“So…Liam? What does he know?” she finally asked.

“Maxwell and I have both been keeping him informed. He knows everything up to Bastien’s involvement…I haven’t talked to him today to tell him my suspicions.”

“But then why did he seem so surprised last night when I told him I was at his party ‘on business’?”

“We didn’t fill him in on our plan…we were going for the element of surprise, remember? With Bastien being Liam’s lead security, we never know when he’s listening.”

“Are you going to talk to him today?”

“No,” Drake said thoughtfully, “I thought about it a lot before I came over here this morning. I don’t think he needs to know unless we find out they are involved. Liam’s good at hiding a lot of things…but even _thinking_ that his parents might be involved in this…I don’t know how anyone would mask that feeling of betrayal.”

“Valid point, I guess…and there are really no events until tomorrow?” she asked.

“Nope…Liam and members of the court have meetings all day today.”

“Fucking lovely…cause sitting around with nothing but my thoughts for a whole day is _exactly_ what I need right now,” she said sarcastically flopping back on the bed again.

“So, don’t sit here…everyone’s free, lets do something.”

“Like what? I did all the usual places yesterday.”

“You have Hana…that’s like having a walking, talking _Fodor’s_ …I’ll text her.”

“And Maxwell,” Riley instructed.

“Fine,” Drake huffed.

Fifteen minutes later Hana and Maxwell were at Riley’s door already armed with options for the day. There was everything from obscure museums like the Museum of Romantics or the Counterfeit Museum, to a hot-air balloon ride in Parc Andre-Citroen, a picnic along the Seine or Bois de Boulogne just outside the city.

“I’d like to keep my feet on the ground, so…hard pass on the hot air balloon but Bois de Boulogne sounds nice; green space and gardens for Fletcher, miniature golf and food? I can get into that,” Riley said.

Her friends waited for her in the dining car while she changed and gathered Fletcher and then they were off. It turned out to be a perfect day of exploring. They played a few rounds of golf and went to the Jardin d’Acclimatation which featured a zoo. Riley’s favorite parts of the day where renting boats on Lac Inferieur and touring the Chateau de Bagatelle. Maxwell tried his hardest to convince Riley to visit the bird sanctuary but was sadly unsuccessful.

“Nope…I don’t do birds, Maxwell,” she said.

“What do you mean you don’t ‘do’ birds, Nevin?”

“I, uh…I’m…afraid of them,” she mumbled incoherently.

“You’re what?” Hana asked.

“I’m afraid of them, okay! Birds are evil…they chase people and peck people and they scare the crap out of me...no birds.”

“Has a bird ever _actually_ chased you or pecked you?” Drake asked with a laugh.

“No! But that’s not the point…and I avoid them so they’ll never get the chance. And what Maxwell failed to mention is that he _knows_ this so he is doing this to torture me.”

“Me? No Blossom, I would never…”

“Why don’t you tell them about the one and _only_ time I beat you during our morning jogs at Ramsford, Maxwell? Tell them _why_ I beat you.”

“We…ah, we were running around the estate and I took Riley to show her my peacocks.”

“Without telling me! Or mentioning that he let them roam free!”

“So, yeah…it was a surprise that I thought she’d enjoy but when we rounded the corner and Ri saw The Godfeather coming toward her, she took off…faster than I’d ever seen her run.”

“Hold on, back-up…‘The Godfeather’?” Drake scoffed.

“Yeah, he’s like the HPIC…he needed a cool name,” Maxwell shrugged.

“What’s the HPIC?” Hana asked.

“Head Peacock in Charge,” Maxwell said casually like it was common sense. They all stood dumbfounded and fell into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

“Fine…I get it, no birds,” Maxwell relented. “Let’s go get food then.”

Just before nightfall, they left the park and stopped for a take-out dinner and returned to the train for an evening of Netflix in Riley’s room. Riley convinced them to watch her favorite stand-up comedian whose language led to a lot of shocked expressions from Hana and when that was over they put on a Marvel® movie. About halfway through the movie, Hana looked over and noticed Riley curled up on her bed, sound asleep with Fletcher in her arms. Moving cautiously not to wake her, Hana and Maxwell cleaned up the room and gathered their things while Drake covered Riley with a blanket and they all headed off to their own beds. 

\-------------------------------------------

Riley had woken in her room the next morning surprised to find it spotless. After taking Fletcher for his morning walk, she was curled up back in bed reading a book when she heard “Rise and shine, Blossom” from outside her door.

“Well if it isn’t Maxwell Beaumont” she said playfully in her best southern draw as she let him in.

“The one and only!”

“You know it’s almost noon, right? I’ve actually been awake for hours.”

“Oh really? Great work!”

“Ahhh…thanks. I did kind of pass out early, so…”

“You picked a perfect time to get a good night’s rest. Are you ready for afternoon tea with the former queen?”

“I don’t really have much of a choice, do I?”

“I know she’s not your favorite person at the moment…but on the bright side this is the perfect opportunity to corner her and get your answers. At a public event, she’ll be caught off-guard. She won’t be able to run off or dodge you.”

“Yeah…and there will be witnesses if she tries to off me.”

“Don’t be silly…she’d never get her own hands dirty” Maxwell said.

“Gee, thanks, that’s reassuring.”

“Stop worrying and go get ready. We don’t want to be late.”

“Fine…I’ll head to the boutique. Will you walk Fletcher and then get him settled back here?”

“Not a problem, Blossom…I’ll take good care of my fluffy buddy.”

Maxwell walked off the train with Fletcher in tow while Riley made her way to the boutique. Olivia and Hana were already there and dressed when she arrived.

“Really taking your time today, huh?” Olivia scoffed.

“Oh please…it’s not like I’m in any fucking rush to get there.”

“Well…if it helps, I already picked something I thought would be perfect for you to wear,” Hana said handing Riley a dress.

Riley stepped into the changing room and pulled on the dress, which, as with everything Hana chose, fit perfectly. It was a pale pink, cocktail length dress with wide straps and a square neck line. A delicate floral pattern in complimentary pink tones covered the bodice and full skirt. Paired with a single strand pearl necklace, it was the perfect tea party outfit.

“Ok…I’m ready for tea…let’s get this over with,” she said walking out the of the changing room.

Maxwell was waiting by the limo and they slid in for the relatively short drive to the tea house. Riley hadn’t expected the event to be so extravagant, but the room was anything but understated.

“Wow…I’m drowning ruffles,” she said to Hana and Olivia as they took in the room.

“I’m afraid that’s one of the finer points of an elegant event like this one,” Madeline said haughtily coming up from behind them.

“ _Shit_ ” Riley muttered under her breath, turning to face her nemesis. “Oh, Madeline…I didn’t see you there.”

“All the same, I heard what you said. To be honest, I wouldn’t expect you to appreciate it Lady Riley, so don’t strain yourself.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t want that, would we?” Riley said sarcastically.

“Well, do try to enjoy yourself,” Madeline before sauntering off.

“ _Do try to enjoy yourself,”_ Riley mocked in an obnoxious high-pitched tone. “God, I hate her.”

“I never liked her,” Olivia said.

“You don’t like anyone,” Riley replied.

“True, but I _especially_ dislike her.”

“Oh dear…let’s get something to drink before you two cause any trouble,” Hana said.

Hana guided them to an empty table on the outskirts of the room that had already been set with tea. Riley picked up the cup to take a sip and immediately put it back down.

“Something wrong, princess?” Olivia teased.

“It’s got cream in it…I don’t drink my tea with cream unless its chai.”

“Of course it has cream…only heathens drink tea without cream.”

“Oh Riley, try it…it’s heavenly,” Hana said.

“I wouldn’t go that far” Olivia said. “It’s a close match to the quality of Lythikos’s blend, but still not quite.”

Moments later, Riley noticed that both Neville and Rashad were in attendance. Hana felt as if she should talk to them but seemed to hesitate. Riley suggested she simply make a good impression on them by giving a toast. Hana stood and toasted to Liam and Madeline, thanking them for hosting the court. Both men smiled at Hana’s words and quickly approached the table to keep company with her. Riley and Olivia excused themselves.

“Olivia, we should go socialize with some of the other ladies here,” Riley suggested.

“Oh yes, please…let’s go partake in frivolous conversation and witty banter,” Olivia scoffed.

“We’ll have the wittiest banter,” Riley laughed. She rose from her seat and turned to leave, nearly running right into Liam.

“Well, hello. What a pleasure to see you here, Lady Riley. You look stunning as always.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Riley said with a slight bow.

“And Lady Olivia, it’s wonderful to see you as well. I didn’t know you’d be attending the events in Paris.”

“Well, you never know where I’ll turn up, I suppose,” Olivia replied sarcastically.

“Is something wrong?” Liam asked, picking up on her tone.

“No,” she replied matter of factly. “You seem well. I am glad for that. But…I should go.”

Olivia turned and headed for the exit and Riley quickly followed without a word. 

“Olivia, are you okay?” Riley asked when she had caught up to her.

“He’s engaged to Madeline and in love with you…I can’t help how I feel about him, can I? At least I still have my pride. Just let me leave with it,” she said before walking out.

Liam approached Riley with a look of concern.

“I wonder what that was about,” he said sadly.

“I think she’s…dealing with some things,” Riley said, not wanting to break her friend’s confidence.

“I hope she is able to sort them out. She’s been through so much. Speaking of which, how are you doing?”

“I’m holding up okay,” she lied.

“Then I’m thankful for that. Is there anything I can do?”

“Not yet,” she said remembering Drake’s words yesterday. “I need to do this for myself.”

“Is there no end to your strength?” he marveled.

“What can I say?” she shrugged. “I’m a strong woman because a strong woman raised me,” she said, trying to remember that she _was_ strong, no matter how weak she felt at the moment.

“I wish I could have had the pleasure of meeting her,” Liam replied.

Riley looked up at him in shock at the genuine sincerity in his voice…something she had longed so long to hear from him when it came to something other than romance. “I wish you could have too,” she said with tears in her eyes.

There was a charged moment between them as Riley was taken in by the concern and affection in his eyes. The moment however, was fleeting when they were interrupted by the approach of a group of arriving nobles.

“I fear our time alone is coming to an end…I’d better greet these guests. But if you need me, come find me later.”

“I will. Thank you,” she stammered, surprised at her sudden overwhelming urge to hug him. Liam turned to go as Riley stood wondering what the hell was going on in her head. She didn’t have long to dwell on it however when she noticed Drake across the room talking to Kiara and her confused feelings were replaced by something a lot more clear.

“So Savannah was taking French lessons for months?” she heard Drake asking as she approached.

“Oh, yes. I really enjoyed teaching her. French is my favorite of all the languages that I speak. I’ve always found it to be such a _romantic_ language,” she purred reaching out to stroke Drake’s arm.

“Hey, guys,” Riley interrupted a bit too eagerly.

“Oh, hello, Lady Riley,” Kiara said sounding annoyed at the interruption.

“Hey, Nevin.”

“Well, not to interrupt, but…I’m interrupting. How are you guys?”

“Interrupting? Nah, you’re not interrupting anything,” Drake said, which wasn’t supported by the look of disappointment on Kiara’s face. “Other than maybe a desperate search for something edible on this table,” he added.

“Yes…of course. Nothing at all,” Kiara said sadly. “I’d…better go,” she said before turning and running off.

Riley turned and gave Drake a knowing look.

“You know you’re mine, right?”

“Nevin!” he exclaimed.

“She clearly has a thing for you and was devastated that you were more interested in the desserts.”

“You’re cute when you’re jealous, you know that?”

“Believe me, if I need to stake my claim on you, I’m not going to be shy about doing it.”

“And what would that look like?”

“I’m debating a _very_ public, _very_ passionate kiss…or shoving Kiara into the petit fours the next time she flirts with you.”

“As much as I’d love to see that, we both know you’ve got nothing to worry about. You’re the only girl for me, Nevin.”

All the confused feelings that had flooded her brain for Liam only moments before were gone…in that moment, for the first time she truly felt like there was hope for her and Drake. 

“Keep saying things like that, Drake Walker, and I won’t be able to resist that very public kiss.”

“I’ll have to watch what I say then,” he replied. “Anyway, don’t we have more important things to talk about?”

“Like the fact you stick out like a sore thumb here?”

“Very funny.”

“Aren’t these the types of events you bend over backwards to avoid?”

“Cute…but I told you I’d be here. I’m not letting you do this alone. I thought you’d want the support today with the a…mission. I wanted to be here for you.”

“I know…I just like teasing you…and seeing your softer side. _You_ , are incredibly sweet Mr. Walker.”

“Keep your voice down, I have an image to uphold.”

“ _You_ , are incredibly grumpy, Drake,” Riley declared dramatically. “Better?” she whispered.

“Much…now what’s the plan?”

“Well…the Queen Mother is clearly sought after,” Riley said, nodding to where Regina was chatting with Adelaide and some other women near a pastry table. “We might need some backup. Maybe a distraction to draw most of the nobles away.”

“I‘ll go find Maxwell.”

“Voluntarily? But I thought…”

“It’s for you,” he said. “Just like yesterday was. I’m not going to let my personal gripes get in the way of helping you. Maybe you can see if Liam is available without saying too much. Meet back here?”

“Do I get a good-bye kiss?”

“Nice try, Nevin…go!”

Drake headed across the room to where most of the noble men were gathered while Riley searched the room for Liam, finally spotting him just as the nobles he was speaking to departed. Taking the chance to catch him alone, she hurried over.

“Liam!” she called out.

“Hello, again,” he smiled.

“Turns out, I may need your help after all.”

“Just tell me what to do,” he said as Maxwell and Drake joined them.

“I’m here to save the day!” Maxwell declared.

“Tone it down, chief,” Drake hissed.

“Toning it down!”

“So, what’s our play here?” Liam asked.

“I need a distraction so I can talk to Queen Mother Regina away from the crowd of nobles,” Riley explained trying to be as vague as possible

“So we must draw a crowd,” Liam replied, thankfully not asking questions.

“Dance-off?” Maxwell suggested. “I’m feeling a dance-off. Drake, drop a beat.”

“I’m gonna drop _you_ , Maxwell. You can’t have a dance-off. We’re are at a fancy tea party, that would be _too_ distracting.”

“Right,” Riley agreed. “We need something that will get people’s attention, but not something that will stop the party in it’s tracks. I need people around so Regina doesn’t run off or try to kill me or something,” Riley said immediately kicking herself. Drake was shooting her the “shut up” glare but it was too late.

“Is that...is that really a concern? I’m not sure we should be putting you in such danger,” Liam said.

“Well...that might have been an exaggeration,” Riley covered. “What I meant to say is, what’s one step down from a dance-off?”

“There is one thing we could do...we haven’t done it since primary school.”

“No!” Drake declared a little too quickly.

“Do you really mean it?” Maxwell asked eagerly.

“Now I have to know,” Riley laughed.

“The three of us were briefly in a singing quartet with Bertrand,” Liam explained.

“That is...adorable,” Riley cooed. “I can’t think of anything cuter than the four of you singing together as kids!”

“How about the three of us singing together as adults?” Maxwell offered.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Riley exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “But it’ll still be a close second.”

“How about it, then?” Liam asked his friends.

“I’m always in for...well, pretty much anything actually,” Maxwell said.

“Is there no other way?” Drake groaned. “Can’t we light something on fire or critically wound Maxwell?”

“Remember, we’re doing this for Riley.”

“Oh, fine...fine,” Drake huffed. “Let’s get this over with,” he said turning to Riley, “you are not allowed to bring this up ever again.”

“Your request is noted...but I make no promises,” she replied as he groaned. Riley bubbled with anticipation; it was showtime, in more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope Riley's anxiety and coping method rings true...it's something I learned for coping after losing my mom. Riley's fear of birds is actually true to life for me too, and my friends and family playfully mock me for it. When I was researching for sights to see in Paris, I thought it would be fun to throw the bird sanctuary in the mix, as well as play with the idea of Maxwell's peacocks. Thanks as always for reading and grateful for any feedback.


	15. Just a Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam, Drake and Maxwell show off a talent to create a distraction at the tea party. Riley takes the opportunity to talk to Queen Mother Regina but doesn't come away with as much information as she had hoped. To take their minds off court and the investigation, Drake suggests a camping trip. Things get heated when Riley decides to stay somewhere other than her own tent. Drake's talent shines in a sweet, tender moment with Riley. Back at court, Riley turns her attention to another investigative opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my favorite chapters to play through with Drake as the LI so I expanded upon it a bit to fulfill my own fantasies. Some original content is added just for context and flow because I always found it odd that they all went from a tea party where most were dressed to the nines straight to camping in the wilderness...a little prep is needed. 
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Lyin’ here with you so close to me, It’s hard to fight these feelings  
When it feels so hard to breathe, Caught up in this moment, Caught up in your smile  
I’ve never opened up to anyone, So hard to hold back, When I’m holding you in my arms  
We don’t need to rush this, Let’s just take this slow  
Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight, Just a touch of the fire burning so bright  
  
_

With the plan set, Maxwell, Liam and Drake moved to the center of the room while Riley discreetly moved along the outer wall to within feet of where the Queen was conversing with Adelaide.

“Excuse me,” Liam said in a commanding tone that turned all eyes in his direction. “If I might have your attention. My friends and I would like to pay tribute to Cordonia.”

Drawn to their King, the nobles began to crowd around as Liam sang the first note.

“ _Cordonia_ ”...followed by Maxwell and then Drake, each singing in a deeper tone.

“ _Land of apples, home of snow_...” Liam continued.

“ _Place where all good things grow_...” Maxwell sang.

“ _Teach us all we need to know_...” Drake joined in.

All the nobles were locked into the performance, with the exception of Regina and Adelaide who remained at the back of the room deep in conversation. Riley was close enough to hear their discussion.

“Did you seriously think it was appropriate to try to arrange for male dancers at your own daughter’s bachelorette party?” Regina scolded.

“Appropriate? No. Amusing? Yes, definitely,” Adelaide laughed.

“You’re just lucky I was able to head off the incident before you created a scandal.”

“Oh, please. Madeline is young, she should have some fun!”

“I seriously doubt she would have been amused,” Regina said, turning to take in the performance; she noticed Riley lingering nearby. “Lady Riley, something I can help you with?” she asked.

“Queen Mother Regina, I need to speak with you,” Riley replied.

“Well, hello dear,” Adelaide said. “Whatever you have to say to the Queen Mother, you can say in front me. We’re family, after all.”

“I really would rather say it in private,” Riley said politely.

“You’re not likely to get much more privacy than this, darling. Please, stop wasting all our time and say what you have to say,” Regina said bluntly.

“Okay...Queen Mother, I was wondering if you could tell me why you dislike me so much?” Riley asked.

“Dislike you?” she replied with a shocked expression. “Hardly. You’re not bad, in your commoner, New York-way. I’ve just never entirely seen you as the best queen for Cordonia. In fact, I’d reconciled myself to the fact that Liam was going to choose you the night of the Coronation.”

“Really?” Riley exclaimed.

“Don’t mistake my meaning. I’m glad he didn’t, but I’d been prepared to accept it and make the best of it,” she replied matter-of-factly.

“Regina sure knows how to charm, doesn’t she?” Adelaide interjected.

“I can be charming when I need to be,” Regina retorted.

“I supposed you just don’t happen to feel the need very often,” Adelaide said as Regina scowled at her.

“Thank you, Adelaide but I actually appreciate the Queen Mother’s directness,” Riley said as she heard the men’s song coming to a close.

“It appears the entertainment is coming to an end,” Regina observed.

“Wait, there’s one more thing I want to know. And please, be honest with me...were you so opposed to me being queen that you would have done _anything_ to prevent it?” Riley asked.

“Anything? That’s a bit strong. Things can be so black and white when you are younger,” she replied in a condescending tone. “The truth is, I would have done very little to stop it. I know Liam well enough to know when his mind is made up, even though he’s not my biological son. He never would have accepted my attempts to... _encourage_ him one way or another. And what’s the point of pushing too hard for no result?”

Riley considered Regina’s words while the crowd of nobles broke into applause at the end of the song.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Regina said, “I’m ready to leave this tea party. It’s been rather disappointing, if you ask me. The one request I made of the caterers was that they secure my favorite pastry for today, but there is not one religieuse in sight.”

“The party’s ruined,” Adelaide exclaimed in mock exasperation.

“No one asked for your opinion,” Regina chided. “Good day to you both,” she said before turning to leave.

“Don’t mind her, she’s always like that,” Adelaide said as Riley watched Regina walk out the door.

“You mentioned you and Regina are family?” Riley said.

“Yes, she doesn’t like to talk about it but, we’re cousins.”

“Is that some kind of closely guarded secret?”

“Not exactly a secret...more like Cordonian court trivia,” Adelaide laughed. “Though it wouldn’t surprise me if Regina is trying to keep it a secret. She always thought she was better than me. Better than the rest of the family, actually. Marrying Constantine only made things worse,” she said. “Oh hell, I probably shouldn’t be saying any of this.”

“Oh, it’s fine” Riley said. “I’ve been told I’m really easy to talk to.”

“Indeed. It’s been a pleasure, Lady Riley but it looks like the party is over, but I hope we’ll speak again.”

Riley stood alone in the corner watching Adelaide head for the door. Drake, Liam and Maxwell drug themselves away from the praise of the crowd to join her.

“Thank you, all my adoring fans,” Maxwell exclaimed, bowing to the crowd.

“I’m really glad that’s over,” Drake sighed as Hana joined the little group.

“Don’t be silly, Drake. That was a great performance!” she said.

“Thank you, Lady Hana. Drake still has some notes in him,” Liam replied.

“And that’s exactly where they should stay...inside me,” Drake said.

“Any luck with the Queen Mother, Riley?” Maxwell asked.

“I got some information...but I’m not sure what it all adds up to,” Riley said.

“There’s still the opera tomorrow. You might be able to get more out of her then,” Drake offered.

“I hope so,” Riley said sadly.

“Hey,” Drake said gently, “you look like you could use something to take your mind off of all this. How about a group camping trip? The leaves are changing, and there’s a spot where we can see all of the trees over the valley. Sunset included.”

“Did you just suggest we do things...with people?” Riley asked.

“I can take it back, if you’d like,” he chuckled.

“She’s teasing you, Drake,” Liam interjected. “Fortunately, there’s a break in the tour schedule tonight, so I can slip out for the night.”

“Are we allowed to just leave like that?” Hana asked anxiously.

“I only need to notify a few guards and then we are good to go. No one will miss us for a night,” Liam replied.

“How about it, Nevin? We can escape for a bit?”

“Sounds perfect, I need a reprieve from all this,” Riley said smiling at Drake.

“I think we all do,” Liam said.

“Let’s go!” Drake said.

“Yay, camping,” Maxwell cheered.

“Who said you were coming?” Drake growled.

“Of course, I’m coming...you said ‘group’, I’m part of the group...we’re all still friends, right? Right?”

“Yes, Maxwell...we’re all still friends,” Riley said looking pointedly at Drake. “I don’t agree with what you did but tonight will be a drama free zone!”

“No drama. Easy. I’ll leave my replica Shakespeare skull at home.”

“It’s gonna be like this all night,” Drake said with a frown.

“No it won’t...now let’s hit the road,” Riley said.

“After we pick up some camping gear,” Drake said, “unless you normally carry a tent around with you.”

“Hmmm...that’s not a bad idea,” Maxwell mused. “With a tent, I could live anywhere. Like inside the limo!”

“I don’t think you need a tent for that,” Hana said.

“It completes the experience,” Maxwell explained.

“There will be no camping in the limo. Now let’s go, we’re losing daylight,” Drake said.

Everyone piled into the limo and headed to the closest outdoor and sporting goods store to stock up. Hana was put in charge of food, Drake and Liam gathered the equipment and Riley was tasked with getting clothes for everyone that was overdressed for the occasion. And Maxwell, well Maxwell was put in charge of nothing, so he tagged along with Riley. A few hours later they reached the coast and hiked to where they would spend the night. Drake’s description hadn’t done it justice. Fall splendor was all around them with the trees changing color to beautiful shades of yellows, reds and oranges and the cliff looked out over the ocean with a sparkling, white sandy beach below.

Riley stood in awe, reminded of her camping trip to the coast in Bar Harbor, Maine...but even that paled in comparison.

“It’s breathtaking,” she exclaimed.

“I could get used to this,” Liam said.

While everyone took in the sights and Maxwell yelled to hear his echo, Drake was busy stacking wood on the rocks for a fire. Riley walked over and started helping him arrange the wood.

“Drake, you should take in the view,” she said.

Drake stopped for a moment and looked up before getting right back to work sticking pieces of kindling in amongst the logs. “Yep, sure is nice,” he said.

“That’s it? Nice? Isn’t the view the entire reason you suggested coming here?”

“I’ll get to it later. Right now, I’d rather make sure we have warmth.”

“I’m okay with that,” Hana said walking over to join them. “Maybe Drake’s caveman instincts are kicking in.”

“Protect and warm the tribe. I’m all over it,” he said.

“This is how he gets when he goes camping,” Liam hollered over. “Best to let him have his way.”

“Exactly. This trip was my idea. It’s my responsibility to make sure you all survive out here.”

“Drake...I _have_ camped before, as I’m sure Liam has since he grew up with you and we all know Hana can do just about anything,” Riley said.

“Yeah, we’d be fine on our own” Maxwell said. “I’m very resourceful.”

“You’d be the first to go,” Drake retorted.

“Really? Even before Hana?”

“Hey!” Hana shouted.

Drake was finally satisfied with the logs and kindling and stood up to light the fire.

“There. It’s ready,” he declared.

“So easy, a caveman could do it,” Riley quipped as her friends just stared at her. “What? Geico commercials...no? Just me? It’s an American thing, sorry...carryon.”

Everyone gathered around the fire as Hana laid out the food she’d brought. There was brie, crackers, an assortment of fruits, and hot chocolate.

“You didn’t tell her to get s’mores supplies?” Riley whispered, leaning over to Drake.

“Did I get you hooked on them?” he whispered back.

“I’ve always like them...but you make the best,” she replied, pleased with the satisfied smile on his face.

“Food, friends and fire,” Maxwell declared, interrupting their moment. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

“Sure,” Drake scoffed which elicited an elbow from Riley.

“I’m certainly happy to be out here with everyone,” Liam said. “It’s liberating,” he added, gazing at Riley. After a moment, she broke the charged gaze and turned to Drake, finding him looking out over the valley.

“Finally taking in that view?” she asked.

Drake turned and looked between Liam and Riley before looking back out to the horizon. “Now that the basics are taken care of? Yeah,” he replied coolly.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Riley pressed on because with one look, she knew where his head was.

“Yeah. I’m glad we came out here to see it.”

“I’m glad to be seeing it with you,” she whispered. Drake looked down at her with a sad smile and nodded. They were pulled away again when Hana cried out that Maxwell had a lizard on his shirt. Unafraid, Maxwell picked up the lizard and cupped it in his hands, intent on keeping it after Riley insisted he nurture it into a mighty dragon.

“I can’t wrap my head around how awesome that idea is,” Maxwell declared. “Together, we will rule the world and demand ice cream as tribute.”

“Why do you constantly encourage him?” Drake huffed.

“It’s entertaining on so many levels,” Riley laughed, “including your reaction.”

Maxwell’s hopes of world domination as the Father of Dragons were dashed when the lizard bit him and ran off. With the lizard gone, they packed up the food and Drake instructed that it was time to set up the tents.

“Umm, what if we’ve never set up a tent before?” Hana asked.

“I’ll come help anyone who needs it,” Drake offered.

Everyone set to work with Drake overseeing. He didn’t make it too far in getting to everyone when he had to stop for Maxwell who was completely lost on what to do. The sounds of their arguing echoed through the valley as everyone else worked. Hana was successful in studying her pieces and instructions, making fairly quick work of the assembly on her own. With Drake occupied, Liam offered to assist Riley but she was nearly finished when he approached her.

“It would seem you know what you’re doing,” he said. “I’m impressed. And here I thought I might be able to show off in front of you.”

“You’ll have to find another way,” she laughed. “Do they teach tent assembly at the palace or did your skills come from trips with Drake?”

“Drake’s taken me camping enough that I had to learn my way around a tent or else freeze to death,” he said.

As the last rays of daylight disappeared over the horizon, Drake finally managed to finish Maxwell’s tent. After a final snack of hot chocolate and cookies, Drake advised they should all settle in since they’d have to head out at dawn.

Riley crawled into her tent, changed into her tank top and shorts to sleep in and climbed into her sleeping bag. With the window flaps of her tent open, she enjoyed the breeze and gazed up at the stars. Silence fell over the campsite and one by one she saw the lights inside her friends’ tents go out, with the exception of one...Drake.

After only a moments hesitation, she crawled to the door and peeked out the tent flap to be certain everyone was inside. Quietly, she slipped out of her tent and tiptoed over to Drake’s. She slowly opened the tent flap, careful to make as little noise as possible and slipped inside. Drake was shirtless, on his knees, spreading out his sleeping bag. His eyes went wide when he looked up and saw her crawling in.

“Oh,” she said, taking in his chiseled chest, “I’m glad I didn’t knock.”

“Nevin...what are you doing here?”

“I’m tired of waiting...I’m here to seduce you,” she replied lustily.

“What?” he exclaimed.

“Come on...isn’t this at least a little romantic?” she asked as she crawled over to him and gently urged him to lay down.

Drake climbed into his sleeping bag and pulled back the cover for Riley to join him. She quickly cuddled up against him, nuzzling her face into his neck where she placed light kisses while rubbing her hands up and down the muscles of his chest. It delighted her that he wasn’t at all tense and a moment later his arms were wrapped around her.

“It feels good to be out here with you,” he said quietly, taking a deep settling breath.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” she said as her finger lazily traced the outline of each of his muscles. “I wasn’t sure.”

“What do you mean?” he murmured into her hair as he nuzzled, intoxicated by her scent.

“You’ve been pretty tense and...maybe a little bossy with everyone since we got here.”

“Bossy?” he said, pulling back to look her in the eyes. “I’m just trying to keep everyone safe.”

“I know your intentions were good, Drake...it’s just...well it kind of came across as giving everyone orders,” she said, propping her head on her elbow and looking down at him.

“I guess my dad always ran a tight ship when we went camping. Maybe too much of that rubbed off on me. Sorry, I hope I didn’t ruin the trip.”

“Not at all...I’ve loved every minute and to be honest, I actually thought it was kinda cute.”

“Really?” he asked, pulling her close again.

“Yeah, in a very ‘Drake’ sort of way...it’s adorable that you take it so seriously and even though it seemed bossy, I know it’s because you care in that soft heart of yours,” she said placing a kiss over his heart.

“Well, I aim to please,” he laughed. “Is there anything else I can do to make your camping trip more enjoyable Ms. Nevin?”

“Hmmm...I can think of one thing,” she said with a seductive smile.

Drake reached up and traced his thumb lightly across her lips...“you know I want to,” he said.

“Then do it,” she said as she watched the conflict warring on his face. “Don’t think about anything outside this tent... focus on m...”

Before she could finish his lips were on hers. Effortlessly, he pulled her so she was laying directly on top of him, with one hand on the small of her back pressing their bodies together and one hand tangled in her hair while he deepened the kiss. When they finally parted, Riley straddled him and sat straight up. Drake’s hands roamed her body and slipped under her tank top; his thumbs tracing the curve under her breasts while she slowly rocked her hips against him.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, pulling her down for another kiss and rolling their bodies till she was underneath him. His lips moved from her mouth, down her jawline to her shoulder, pulling down the strap of her tank top as he went.

With his warm lips now trailing down her collarbone toward the top of her breast, Riley felt the wetness pooling in her core and whispered, “Make love to me, Drake.”

At her words, he came undone. All his resolve melted away, he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything else and here she was, giving herself to him. His hand traced the curve of her waist until he reached the band of her shorts. Just has he had begun to slowly nudge them down, there was a loud rustling outside and they both froze.

“Bear,” Hana yelled, “there’s a bear!”

“Hana, it’s just me, I was looking for a snack,” Maxwell said.

Riley buried her face in Drake’s shoulder to stifle a laugh. Drake laid back, defeated…“Fucking Maxwell,” he huffed.

“We don’t have to stop, Drake.”

“You know we do,” he said. “I mean…with the timing, don’t you think that was the universe trying to tell us something?”

“No…no I don’t. It was just Maxwell being Maxwell.”

“Yeah, well, next time we go camping, how about we do it without the rest of them,” he said.

“Yes, please,” she sighed, “I want you all to myself...no interruptions.”

“Deal” he said, turning and kissing her tenderly. “Stay?” he said.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she replied, settling in against his chest. They listened as the campsite fell quiet once more, holding each other close. “Hey Drake?”

“Hmmm?” he hummed sleepily.

“You know that thing that you asked me not to bring up?”

“You mean the thing that you’re _clearly_ bringing up anyway?” he said with a chuckle, opening his eyes to look at her.

“No...well, yes...in a way I guess...”

“What’s up, Nevin?”

“Will you sing to me?”

“Ahhh...no, nope, not happening.”

“Pleeease,” she begged. “You have such a good voice and...and I’ve just always wanted to be sang to and since I didn’t get what I _really_ wanted, now I want a song,” she said pulling him closer. “Please...sing...to...me,” she begged again as she placed kisses along his chest, landing the final one on his lips.

Drake groaned when she moved away too quick for him to deepen the kiss. “You drive a hard bargain, Nevin...and you know I never say no to you...What do you want to hear?”

“Anything,” she said, “surprise me.”

Drake stared thoughtfully at at the ceiling for a moment and then turned so they laid facing each other. The minute he started singing, she knew the song and she was hypnotized.

“ _I hopelessly...helplessly, wonder why  
Everything gotta change around me  
I'd tell it to your face  
But you lost your face along the way  
And I'd say it on the phone  
If I thought you were alone  
Why do things have to change_

_But you don't need my pictures on your wall  
You say you need no one  
And you don't need my secret midnight call  
I guess you need no one_

_Is anybody waiting at home for you  
'Cause it's time that will tell if it's heaven if it's hell or if it's  
Anybody waiting at home for you  
'Cause it's time that will tell this tale_

_You're in and out up and down  
Wonder if you're lost or found  
But I got my hands on you_

_Are you strong enough to tow the line  
Are you gonna make me yours  
Or do I make you mine  
I'm in and out I'm up and down  
Wonder if I'm lost or found  
But I need your hands on me now_

_But you don't need my pictures on your wall  
You say you need no one  
And you don't need my secret midnight call  
I guess you need no one_

_Is anybody waiting at home for you  
'Cause it's time that will tell if it's heaven if it's hell or if it's  
Anybody waiting at home for you  
'Cause it's time that will tell this tale_

_I hopelessly, helplessly, wonder why  
Everything gotta chang_e”

When the last words passed his lips, Riley pulled him into another passionate kiss and then settled against his chest.

“That was beautiful...thank you,” she mumbled through a yawn as her eyes fluttered closed.

“Anything for you, Nevin…good night,” he said as they fell into a peaceful sleep in each other’s arms.

\------------------------------------

The next morning, instead of an alarm or Maxwell, Riley awoke to the feeling of gentle kisses on her neck and jawline.

“Mmmm...good morning, Marshmallow,” she whispered.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Drake replied.

“I wish we could stay right here all day.”

“Me too, Nevin...but you should get back to your tent before anyone else wakes up.”

“Okaaaay,” she groaned, stretching to wake up her body. She sat up and straightened her hair and clothes, kneeling over Drake. “You know, now that I’ve slept in your arms...I’m gonna want it all the time.”

“I know what you mean,” he said, gazing up at her lovingly. With a final quick kiss, she crawled to the door and peeked out. When she was sure the campsite was empty, she crawled back to her own tent and changed. Fifteen minutes later, everyone was up breaking down camp and they were off for the long ride back to the train.

When they arrived back, everyone went their separate ways and Riley laid down for a nap. A few hours later she met up with Hana. They had a plan to visit a pastry shop to get the Queen Mother the religieuse that she had so desperately wanted at the tea party, hoping it would help Riley earn her favor and get more answers. After a quick trip into the city and some girl talk over pastries, they returned to the train, changed and headed to the opera house; it was time for another talk with the Queen Mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love a man with a good voice and being sung to makes me swoon so after its revealed via the distraction that Drake can sing, I knew Riley would want him to sing for her. And its just so perfectly 'Riley' to bring it up again when he told her not to. The song he sings here is called 'Hopeless' by Train and I picked it because my husband sang it to me on our second date when it came on in the car as he was holding my hand and driving me home. To me the lyrics fit for Drake and Riley; longing, obstacles that make it feel hopeless, and uncertainty about their future.


	16. The Climb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley gets another chance to speak to Regina at the opera. After meeting Liam in his private box, she shares what she's learned and it hits Liam hard. Riley returns to the train and bumps into Drake and they get another chance at time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer than my typical because there was no logical place to break it up.
> 
> In my multiple play throughs, I never felt like Riley's conversation with Regina flowed well; for example, Riley mentions Olivia's potential as Queen and Regina just starts talking about the weight of the crown and Liam wanting it without ever even acknowledging the mention of Olivia. It felt more like random trains of thought so I tried to restructure it here to make more sense.
> 
> Disclaimers:  
> ***All characters, general story and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than original scenes, my MCs backstory and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics from the song. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_There’s always gonna be another mountain  
I’m always gonna wanna make it move  
Always gonna be an uphill battle  
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose  
  
_

In the large marble-covered lobby of the opera house, Hana and Riley met up with Maxwell. He excitedly rushed over to let Riley know that she had the perfect opening to talk to the Queen Mother. Pointing to a secluded area behind a set of marble pillars, he indicated that Regina was seated by herself waiting for her private box to open.

“If you head over, we’ll ensure that no one bothers you for a few minutes,” he said. “And when you’re finished, King Liam will be waiting for you in box five.”

Riley raised and eyebrow at yet another invitation from Liam while looking around the large marble atrium. 

“Thanks for the message, Max. Where’s Drake?”

“Oh…um…he’s still not really talking to me, so…but, this definitely isn’t his scene. There’s no way he’d come to an opera.”

“Oh…I just thought…he said he’d look out for me,” Riley said feeling nervous and dejected.

“It’s okay, Riley,” Hana assured her. “Maxwell and I will make sure every goes to plan.”

“Plan, right…Alright, so I’ve just got to get the Queen Mother to admit that she sabotaged my reputation, right? No pressure.”

“I know you can do it, Riley,” Hana said.

“Yeah…that’s great but, how?”

“If it were me,” Maxwell said, “I’d gain her trust first by losing to her at something, probably a rap-battle. Then…I’d gain her respect by beating her at something else…probably also a rap-battle.”

Riley looked at Maxwell, shaking her head, “Yeah…uh huh…I got nothing.”

“I’m not sure we have time for that much rapping,” Hana said, “but maybe you could find a way to bring up Bastien and see how she reacts. If she’s working with him, bring him up out of the blue may throw her off. She’ll know you know something.”

“That’s a _great_ idea, Hana…I like it.”

“So that’s a ‘no’ on the rap battles, then?”

“Sorry, Max. Hana’s got this one. Good brainstorming though. I’ll see you on the other side.”

Riley walked over to where the Queen Mother was sitting and greeted her warmly, asking if she might join her in waiting and thankfully, Regina obliged. Riley took a seat next to her, straightened her skirt and placed the small box from the pastry shop on her lap.

“I brought you something,” she said.

“Oh?” Regina replied, looking surprised.

“Here,” she said, passing her the box. “It’s a religieuse, I remembered you mentioning it at tea yesterday.”

“Oh, how thoughtful,” Regina said, a smile crossing her face as she opened the box. She gently removed the pasty and took a delicate bite, but a bit of cream burst out and landed on her dress. “Oh!” she exclaimed, wiping at the small bit of cream with her finger and raising it to her lips to lick off. “Far too delicious to let it go to waste,” she laughed.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Riley replied. “So…”

“Lady Riley, while your guiles have improved since you first arrived, I have been around long enough to know that you are seeking more than my company.”

“I…I don’t know what you mean,” Riley stammered.

“Come now, it was even more obvious at the tea party. You are investigating me, aren’t you?”

“What? I…” Riley said, stumbling over her words as fear rose within her, recalling Drake’s warning. There was no time to do her grounding and she had no idea where Drake was as she longed for his support, so in that moment she decided honesty was her best bet. “Yes,” she admitted.

“I’m not sure what led you to do so, but I know nothing about this alleged plot against you. To be quite frank, a part of me wanted to see you succeed.”

“Wait…you did? But yesterday, you said…”

“I know what I said…but I am telling you the truth…it was a small part, but it was there nonetheless.”

“I see,” Riley said thoughtfully. “And do you mind if I ask, how did you even know that I’m conducting an investigation?”

“I may no longer be Queen, but I still have eyes and ears throughout the court to keep me apprised of all goings-on. In any case…Regardless of my feelings toward you personally, I could see how much Liam cared about you. I made no secret of my favor for Madeline, but had she not been a contender, you would have had my support.”

“Really? But literally every other lady had experience at court, so why me over someone like, say, Olivia?” Riley asked.

“Unfortunately, though I know she cares a great deal for Liam, I do not believe that Duchess Olivia possesses the temperament to be Queen, nor the empathy to support a man that might struggle as he took on the role of King.”

“With all due respect, I think you underestimate Olivia. She would do anything for Liam. And I am not sure why you would think he would struggle with his role…he couldn’t have been _more_ prepared.”

“I know, more intimately than most, the leaden weight of the Crown. When Liam’s brother abdicated, Constantine was more relieved than disappointed. My feelings were…more complicated. We both knew that Liam was better suited to be king, but that didn’t mean it was what he wanted.”

“Liam didn’t want the crown?”

“It’s difficult to say _what_ he wanted. He wouldn’t open up to anyone after his brother left. That is…not until the brothers Beaumont appeared at court one day with a hopelessly naïve young woman from New York in tow.”

“Hopelessly naïve? I think that’s a bit of an unfair assessment.”

“Well, it was what we thought. But it was clear that Liam saw something else.”

“Then why did you favor Madeline, despite Liam’s own opinions and feelings?”

“Do be practical, Lady Riley,” she said exasperatedly, “my utmost responsibility is to Cordonia, not to Liam or to you.”

“Pardon me for saying that it doesn’t appear as if it’s truly about responsibility over family when your choice was your own cousin’s daughter.”

“It is true that Madeline is kin, but that is hardly why I supported her. Who would you have chosen? A foreign newcomer just learning the ways of court and governance, or a woman born and bred for the role?” 

“I’m not sure if your asked that rhetorically, but I think I might have taken the time to learn more about the foreign newcomer before making baseless assumptions. I may not have known the ways of court because I wasn’t born into nobility however, I think my education has taught me as much, if not more about governance than Madeline’s breeding,” Riley said defensively.

“While I’m sure you received a fine education,” Regina replied, “I stand firmly by my belief that a Cordonian woman was the better choice. However, compromise is one of the regency’s best tools. Your scandal provided an opportunity to teach Liam that lesson. That is why I pushed him to accept the … _arrangement_ that Madeline had proposed.”

“Wait…you mean…”

“That Madeline might have Liam’s alliance and the crown and that you might have Liam. In exchange for making the decision to prioritize his kingdom, I would do what I could to bring you back to court, and to him.”

“So, _you_ are the reason I was allowed back at court?”

“Surely you thought it strange that you were tossed out one moment and welcomed back the next?”

“Of course I did, but I thought it was Liam’s doing…he is King after all.”

“No, my dear…that was my doing. Perhaps you ought to be thanking me, rather than questioning my motives.”

“Forgive me ma’am, while I certainly appreciate and thank you for the opportunity to be back at court, I cannot thank you for supporting the arrangement, that presumes I want to live a life in the shadows as a mistress and I most certainly do not.”

“Be that as it may, things worked out regardless…with even the promise of an arrangement, Liam was bound to listen to his father and select Madeline.”

“The King supported Madeline?”

“He was more adamant about it than I was. Stability, above all else, he said.”

“But if the King supported Madeline and the arrangement, then why was I thrown out in the first place?”

“Constantine knew nothing of the arrangement until I advised him of it and advocated for your return. That is why he ordered Bastien to have you removed when the scandal broke.”

“So Bastien was operating on the King’s orders?”

“He certainly wasn’t operating on anyone else’s… he is head of the _King’s_ guard after all. Personally, I avoid making requests of him, we aren’t particularly close. He rather favored Liam’s mother. I’ve long believed he didn’t find me suited to be queen. I have my own guards to carry out my orders…” she trailed off. “Speaking of…here comes one now. That would be my escort to my box. I’m afraid I must take my leave of you,” she said, rising from her seat. “Lady Riley,” she said, turning back for a moment, “I can’t say how this will all play out in the end, but…I hope you find the answers you seek.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Riley stared thoughtfully after the Queen Mother as she ascended the stairs toward the private boxes on the arm of her guard. While Regina may not have realized it, _she_ had just given Riley the answer she was seeking. Though she had been annoyed by another invitation from Liam when Maxwell passed along the message earlier, now armed with the truth, she decided to go see him and made her way to box five.

When she reached the hallway, Liam was standing just outside the box and held the curtain back for Riley to enter.

“Lady Riley, it is always a delight to see you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I wish I were here under better circumstances but I’m afraid I only came because I have to talk to you about the investigation.”

“What happened? Did you speak to Regina?”

“Yes. And now I feel I should bring you up to speed. I know you’re aware that Bastien recruited Penelope to hire the photographer. Once we had that information and couldn’t get Bastien to talk, Drake felt it was most likely because Bastien was acting on orders.”

“And he would only take orders from my father or Regina,” Liam added, catching on.

“Yes, and tonight I learned…it was not Regina who gave him the orders.”

“You’re…you’re sure?” Liam stammered.

“Unfortunately, yes…she said she isn’t particularly close to Bastien and avoids making requests of him. She would have used her own guards to carry out any of her orders. Meaning…Bastien’s orders came from your father.”

Liam slumped down into one the nearby chairs as his Kingly composure fell and a mixture of shock, anger and confusion crossed his face.

“No…” he said putting his head in hands, “it can’t be.”

“I’m so sorry, Liam.”

“Why?” he said, looking up at Riley. “Why would he do something like this?”

“I wish I knew. That is something only he can answer. I think it’s safe to assume that he didn’t see me as fit to be Queen, but that doesn’t excuse setting me up or betraying his own son.”

“You are right about that,” Liam said, looking down again. “I just need to understand why he did this. What was he planning?”

“Well…based on what Regina shared I think he got exactly what he was planning, you chose Madeline.”

“We need to speak with him…find out if that is all there was to it.”

“Doesn’t it seem obvious? If he arranged for me to be set up, then he was behind Olivia’s blackmail too. Can you honestly say you ever even considered Penelope, Kiara or even Hana for a moment? With Olivia and I out of the way, Madeline was your only option…the only option he wanted you to choose.”

“I still…I still need to know _why_?” Liam said angrily as his frustration grew.

“Okay, okay…I understand. We can talk to him…is he here tonight?”

Liam took a breath to compose himself. “No, unfortunately not. Though he stepped down, he still has social and political obligations that keep him busy. We might have to bide our time for a while, but as soon as we get the chance to confront him in private, we’ll take it,” Liam said, finally standing from his seat and moving to peer over the balcony to the crowds taking their seats below. “Maybe it’s a good thing I’m stuck here the rest of the night. I don’t know what I’d do with myself without the distraction.”

“I am so sorry, I hate that you found out this way, that your father wasn’t just honest with you. Are you going to be okay?”

Liam turned to look at her…“I…I have so many questions for my father,” he said hesitantly, “but Riley…all that matters to me is that you’re safe. We’re one step closer to unraveling this scheme against you.”

“Liam, no…I shouldn’t be the priority here, not when you’ve just learned something like this.”

In the confined space of the box, with only three steps, Liam closed the distance between them and was at Riley’s side.

“You _are_ my priority though, you have been the whole time. I know this investigation has been your focus and that nothing has changed but, we are getting closer to it’s end,” he said, hesitantly moving to pull her into an embrace which she did not resist for the first time in weeks.

As the warmth of his arms enveloped her, an overwhelming sense of guilt and dread rose inside.

“Liam, I…I have to..”

“I know, I’m sorry” he said, pulling back. “I just thought we could both use a hug.”

“No…it’s not that, it’s just…”

“Riley, it’s okay,” he said, cutting her off again. “I know that it will be easier for both of us once we have some answers.”

Before she had a chance to press on and tell him the truth, the house lights flickered for everyone to take their seats.

“I should go find my seat before they close the house doors for good,” Riley said.

“Well…you could always stay here,” Liam offered. “We’ll have it all to ourselves, guaranteed not to be disturbed.”

“Aren’t you expecting Madeline?”

“She is unavailable tonight. There was an issue with our travel arrangements and she insisted on taking care of it herself.”

“I’m sorry, Liam. I hate the thought of leaving you alone with all that I just told you, but I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to stay.”

“Of course,” he said sadly. “I understand. I hope you enjoy the opera, Lady Riley.”

Liam again held the curtain for Riley as she exited the box and made her way down to the orchestra level. Maxwell and Hana were already seated and watching the door, eagerly waving Riley over as she entered. They settled in as the show began and Riley become thoroughly engrossed. It was her first time at the opera and while it wasn’t something she would normally enjoy, she found herself mesmerized. About halfway through the first act, Maxwell broke her from her hypnotized state.

“What do you think?” he whispered.

“It’d be better as a hip-hop opera,” she jokingly whispered back. “With some rhymes and beatboxing.”

“Oooohh…good idea!” he replied, clearly taking her too seriously. “That would make this ten times better…no, _twenty times_ better!”

Hours had passed as the show came to a close; Riley was thankful for the extended distraction from her troubles. As the curtains closed, Riley, Maxwell, and Hana exited the theatre and made their back into the bustling atrium of the opera house. Servers were buzzing about carrying trays of wine and champagne for the exiting audience to enjoy.

“That was amazing,” Maxwell exclaimed, grabbing a champagne from a passing server. “I’m feeling so inspired. I’m going to write a breakdance opera! It’ll be my magnum opus.”

“If anyone can successfully compose and choreograph a breakdance opera, it’s Maxwell Beaumont,” Riley said.

“Am I the only one that found the show highly disappointing?” Olivia exclaimed as she walked up to join them. “Mozart has always been too subdued for my tastes. I much prefer Wagner or Puccini. They really knew how to compose tragic stories of ill-fated couples and bloodshed.”

“That’s…grim,” Hana replied.

“I would have expected a beheading, at least.”

“A beheading definitely would have spiced things up…I’ll jot that down. Keep the ideas coming,” Maxwell said.

“At least the venue has charm. Did you know that this building was actually modeled after an ancient Nevrakis castle?”

“Wow, really?” Riley said. “The architecture is lovely.”

“House Nevrakis is known for our striking and impenetrable construction. It’s a very faithful copy, though they left out the fighting pit. Shame.”

“Ooh, a fighting pit,” Maxwell declared. “That could be the backdrop for the big breakdance battle finale.”

“Well I loved the show,” Hana interjected. “I wish it could have lasted forever…that last aria was absolutely divine.”

“Forever? But aren’t you excited for the court to go to Shanghai tomorrow?” Maxwell asked.

“Wait, we’re doing what?” Riley asked.

“Oh, right. Bertrand told me to mention that…Hey, Riley, we’re going to Shanghai tomorrow!”

“Maxwell! I am tired of being the last to know everything.”

“In my defense, I did tell you when we found you in the US…I mentioned exploring bamboo groves in China, remember…remember?”

“No…no I don’t, Maxwell. Clearly _a lot_ has happened since then.”

“Honestly Riley, it’s a bit last minute,” Hana chimed in. “We are going to visit my family there. My father arranged for us to spend some time with him.”

“Ummm…really? I’m going to meet your dad?” Riley stammered.

“I’m not sure whether to be disgusted by your lack of preparation or impressed by the success you’ve had in spite of it,” Olivia scoffed.

“Um…thanks?”

“Don’t bother, I’ve settled on disgust.”

“That figures…never mind that my lack of preparation could have _something_ to do with Maxwell’s forgetfulness.”

“Blaming others…charming. I’m officially growing bored of this conversation. See you in China, I suppose,” Olivia said, taking her leave.

Once she was gone, Riley noticed Drake approaching through the crowd with a drink in his hand.

“Finally, she’s gone,” he huffed.

“Drake! I didn’t know you were here. Why didn’t you sit with us?”

“There’s no way in hell I was going to sit through that. I’m just here for the free drinks,” he said, raising his glass in a mock toast.

“So, were you just hanging out waiting for Olivia to leave before coming over here? Are you…are you scared of her?”

“Scared? Of Olivia?”

“It’s okay, you can admit it. This is a circle of safety.”

“I know _I’m_ scared of Olivia,” Maxwell admitted.

“I’m not scared of Olivia,” Drake huffed. “I just don’t think I need to subject myself to her. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life.”

“So you _were_ avoiding her,” Hana teased.

“I’m…going to grab another drink,” Drake declared.

“Oh…I’ll join,” Maxwell said prompting a death glare from Drake. “Or…I’ll just go write down the plot to my breakdance opera. Promise me you guys won’t tell anyone my idea?”

“Cross my heart,” Hana said.

“And hope to die before you force me to watch it,” Drake retorted.

Maxwell hurried out of the opera house while Drake departed to get a refill. Riley called after him but he didn’t turn around. She and Hana stood talking, expecting Drake to return but the crowds seemed to be dwindling and there was no sight of him.

“We should probably head back to the train. I need to get a good night’s sleep if we’re going to China tomorrow,” Riley said.

“You’re right, the jet lag is bad enough.”

They exited the atrium and made their way to their waiting cars. Riley searched the street one last time for Drake, disappointed again to see no sign of him as she slid into the limo for the ride back, alone.

Once aboard the train, on her way back to her suite, she finally saw him headed in the opposite direction.

“Hey, Nevin,” he said casually.

“Where have you been?” she snapped.

“Woah…what the hell, Nevin? I just saw you at the opera house.”

“Yes… _after_ the opera, _after_ I talked to the Queen Mother which was _your_ idea. I know you don’t _have_ to look out for me but…but you said you would. I was so nervous when you weren’t there. And then when we finally saw you, you took off again so fast,” Riley said with tears welling in her eyes.

“I _was_ there, Nevin…looking out for you, I mean.”

“You were?”

“Yeah…I got there late…you had walked over to Regina before I could reach you, Maxwell, and Hana. But I was there. I saw you give her the pastry box, I saw you talk to her and then…then I saw you go up to Liam’s private box,” he said with sadness in his eyes.

“Judging by the look on your face, you missed the part where I came back down and watched the show from my own seat. Oh Drake, when are you going to realize…I told him what I learned from Regina and then left.”

“Nevin, I keep telling you, you don’t owe me any explanations…you’ve made me no promises.”

“No, but last night…”

“Last night we almost crossed a line.”

“Is that really how you feel?”

“Christ, Nevin…I don’t know how I feel. Waking up with you in my arms was…amazing. But, then realizing my best friend, who loves you, was two tents away…well that felt like a punch in the gut.”

“I’ve made him no promises either, Drake. I…”

“You should be getting to bed, don’t let me stop you,” he said, clearly wanting to avoid the conversation.

“But where are you headed? It’s nearly midnight.”

“I couldn’t sleep when I got back to my room. Thought I might as well have some fun.”

“As in have a drink?”

“I do have other hobbies besides whiskey, you know. Like pool.”

“There’s a pool room on this train? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“Heh, as if anyone would want to play pool on a moving vehicle. I’ve been frequenting this hotel a few blocks from here, and it has a private game room. It’s quiet, it’s open late and no one bothers me.”

“That sounds lonely,” Riley said with a sad smile.

“I don’t mind that part. Although to be honest, playing solo gets a little boring after a while.”

“I know someone who likes to play and makes pretty good company,” she said playfully nudging him.

“You’re nudging me again, Agent Bossy pants…fine, do you want to come play a game or two? 

“Weren’t you just trying to send me to bed?”

“A man can change his mind…as long as we stick to the ‘no drama’ rule. Some competition would make things more interesting.”

“Oh, I see. You’re looking for a rematch after our last game night. Mr. Competitive can’t stand that things ended in a tie.”

“Maybe,” he smiled wryly.

“Ok, you’re on!”

“Alright but be warned. I won’t go easy on you.

“If you did, I’d be disappointed.”

Riley followed Drake out of the train and they walked quietly for a few blocks before arriving at a modest looking hotel. Drake led Riley through the lobby to a back room where the doorman bowed and waved them both inside.

“Wow, you must be a regular,” Riley said.

“I’ve only been here three times in the week that we’ve been here but…when I told Liam about finding this place, he spoke with the owner to make sure I’d be taken care of.”

“I think I could use a private getaway like this.”

“You _do_ have a private train cabin…some of us have to share, you know.”

“I know…how’s that been going, by the way? Bunking with Maxwell?”

“He calls us ‘best friend roomies’, and I am very close to throwing myself off the train,” he said, walking over to the pool table to set up the game.

“So…” she said, looking around “you’ve been here three times…that’s every night we’ve been in Paris except last night when we were camping and the night we went to the dive bar.”

“Yeah…um…basically whenever I can’t sleep.”

“What’s keeping you awake? Is it scandalous thoughts about me?” she teased.

Drake looked up from racking the balls and met her gaze for a moment with a hint of smile before turning back to setting up.

“I didn’t come here to talk about my sleeping habits, Nevin. I came here to show you up at pool.”

“Bold words, Mr. Walker.”

When he was finished setting up the balls, Drake removed the rack and grabbed two pool cues, handing one to Riley.

“Are you up for some house rules?” he asked.

“That depends on the rules.”

“Okay. After the break, we each get one shot per round to sink a ball into a corner pocket. Each ball gets you one point. Best of three rounds wins.”

“I think I can handle that.”

“Then go ahead and break.”

“Such a gentleman, letting the lady go first,” she replied, stepping up to the table.

Riley lined up the cue ball and hit the racked balls dead in the center, sending them scattering across the table. Drake stepped up and lined up his shot, perfectly striking a purple ball, sending it rolling into the corner pocket.

“That’s one,” he boasted.

“Impressive. Where did you learn to shoot like that?”

“From my mom. She taught me and Savannah all the tricks she knew.”

“All those lessons must’ve been adorable. Baby Drake trying to hold a cue stick.”

“Adorable probably isn’t the word my mom would use. I was a handful.”

“And teaching you to play a game with giant sticks made that…better?”

“Eh…it kept me occupied. And it made me pretty damn good at pool.”

“That remains to be seen,” she teased.

“By all means…show me what you’ve got,” he said, waving his hand across the table.

Riley leaned over the table and attempted to line up her shot. With a hint of grin on her face, she peeked over her shoulder at Drake watching her…“Do you mind giving me a hand with this?” she asked.

“You want me to help you win?”

“Just give me a few pointers.”

“Oh, fine” he huffed.

Drake moved to stand behind Riley and gently wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands over hers on the pool cue.

“You’ll want to hold it here and here,” he explained as he moved her hands into position. His hands were warm and slightly calloused and his touch sent a shiver down her spine as memories from the night before flashed through her mind. The way he gently held her felt like an embrace that she wanted to turn into, but he stepped away all too quickly once she was lined up. Riley struck the cue ball and sent a ball spinning into a corner pocket.

“Yes!” she shouted.

Drake leaned on his cue stick, squinting at the table trying to visualize and line up his next shot.

“You’re know…” Riley said, just as he moved to strike the cue ball, “you get this little wrinkle in the middle of your forehead when you concentrate. It’s so cute.”

“Wha…” he said, looking up at her, causing his shot to go wild. The cue ball rolled around the table without striking another ball. “I…that was a freebie for you, Nevin.”

“I thought you weren’t going to go easy on me.”

“Maybe I’m feeling charitable.”

“Hmmm…there’s that wrinkle again,” she said, causing Drake to look away shyly while he reached up and rubbed his forehead.

“You’re up, cheater.”

“Pointing out a fact is hardly cheating….it’s not my fault you lose concentration when you’re told you’re cute.”

“Just take your shot, Nevin.”

Riley stepped up to the table and easily knocked another ball into a corner pocket.

“Boom, two to one!” she boasted.

“Not bad, I mean, it wasn’t anything fancy, but it wasn’t bad.”

“I’m not playing for style, I’m playing to win! Let’s see you do as well on your last shot.”

“Challenge accepted,” Drake said, walking around the table, looking for his shot. When he leaned over to line up, Riley slowly unzipped her dress, allowing it to fall to the floor just as he looked up from the table. With Riley standing in nothing but her white lacy bra and thong, Drake’s eyes went wide.

“Nevin, what…what are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

Drake swallowed hard but couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“Tick tock, Walker.”

Drake shook his head and leaned back down to line up his shot again, but his eyes continually drifted away from the table and back to Riley. Unable to keep his eyes down, he fumbled with the cue stick and once again sent the cue ball flying across the table without striking another ball.

“Damn it, Nevin.”

“You’re supposed to watch the ball, Drake. Isn’t that like billiards 101?”

“You know damn well it’s impossible to watch the ball when you’re standing there looking…like _that,_ ” he said with a hungry look in his eyes. “Guess I got distracted. Your turn, last shot, Nevin.”

Riley moved around the table and lined up an easy shot but just as she was sighting the ball along her cue, Drake began unbuttoning his shirt. Riley stood up and watched him discard the shirt on a nearby chair before dropping to the floor and doing push-ups. She found herself both amused and aroused.

“Uh…Drake, what are you doing?” she laughed.

“Oh, nothing,” he breathed out between reps. “Don’t mind me, just gotta get the rest of my nightly workout in.”

“Shirtless?”

“Just borrowing a page from your playbook,” he said as he switched to one arm push-ups. Riley couldn’t help but stare as the muscles in his arms and back rippled with each rep. Thinking her shot was a gimme, she struck the cue ball, never taking her eyes off of Drake. It glanced off the ball she was aiming for and sent it flying in the wrong direction, missing the shot.

“No fair. I was trying to concentrate over here,” she whined.

“Sorry, couldn’t skip the nightly workout,” Drake shrugged, standing back up.

“Workout my ass,” she muttered, returning her pool stick to the rack.

“What was that, Nevin?”

“Ahh..hmmm...I said...that’s game. By my count, the final score was 2-1, I win again,” she smiled.

“Beginners luck,” Drake scoffed.

“Are you saying a beginner could have beaten you?”

“Make that ‘congratulations’.”

“Thanks. And what about my prize?”

“Prize? This is starting to sound familiar...”

“Drinking game, pool game...where’s the fun without any stakes?” she said, sauntering up to him. “I say the prize is...another kiss,” she said looking up at him seductively.

“Are you trying to torture me, Nevin?” he breathed, unable to look away.

“Is kissing me torture?”

Drake reached out and cupped her cheek, slowly brushing his thumb across her lips before gliding it back to grip her neck and pull her into a deep, lingering kiss. When they finally came up for air, the fire in his eyes was blazing.

“The kind of torture I’ve been hoping for all night,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“Then why didn’t you kiss me sooner?” she asked.

“You know why, Nevin.”

“I think it’s time to stop fighting it, Drake. We’re alone, how often does that happen?”

“What are you saying?”

“Well, for starters, I’m saying you could kiss me again...if you want to.”

Drake hesitates for only a moment, his eyes searching Riley's face and seeing the desire that matched his own. In the next breath, his lips were on hers again, his tongue seeking entrance that was quickly granted. One hand tangled in her hair as the other slid down her back till he was cupping her bare ass. 

"I always want to," he said, stopping only for a moment to effortlessly lift Riley till she was sitting on the edge of the pool table. Riley wrapped her legs around his waist, his hard length pressing against her core sent a shiver through both of them as he slowly and deliberately trailed kisses down her neck to the top of her breasts. "God, Nevin, I want you so bad," he whispered.

"I'm right here, Drake...take me," she said breathlessly.

Drake captured her mouth again while deftly moving her thong aside. His fingers dipped into her slick folds, her wetness eliciting a moan from him. Riley's hands had moved to unbutton his jeans and slipped into the waistband of his boxer briefs, pushing them down and gripping his tight, muscular ass. A moment later, his impressive cock sprang free. Riley wrapped her hand around his length, guiding him to enter her while he captured one of her perfect pink nipples in his mouth. It was at that moment, as his tip pushed through her folds...right there on the edge of what they had both been wanting for so long, that there was a knock on the door of the private room.

Drake froze momentarily and with one last lingering kiss, pulled back with obvious effort.

Riley sat breathlessly on the pool table, still filled with longing. "Fuck," she breathed out.

“That would be security letting us know it’s closing time,” Drake said as buttoned his pants.

“I guess I should be thankful it’s not Maxwell interrupting us again...but I’m getting real sick of interruptions,” Riley huffed.

Drake wrapped his arms around her waist and helped her slide down from the pool table. He held her close, looking down at her with so much affection in his gaze it made her heart flutter.

“One day, when the time is right, there will be no interruptions...it won’t be on a pool table and I promise, I won’t leave you wanting,” he said.

Riley stood on her tip toes, desperate to kiss him one more time... “I’m gonna hold you to that, Walker” she whispered when they parted.

“I hope you do,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Now, get dressed, we should head back.”

“Are you sure you want to?” she asked, poised to pull her dress on, but still unclothed.

“No,” he said, drinking her in, “but I’d rather end tonight on a high note, and getting tossed out by security would be a low.”

“As you wish, Mr. Walker” she teased, pulling on her dress. Once they were both fully clothed, they tidied up the room and headed back out into the night toward the train. Drake walked Riley to her room as he had every night they’d gone out together.

“I had a good time tonight,” he said when they reached the door.

“Me too. Next time we should go on a real date.”

Drake’s jaw dropped...“That wasn’t...I mean not that I wouldn’t, but...Wait, you’re teasing me again, aren’t you?”

“Only a little...I do want to go on a real date with you, Drake. But be honest, if we had called this a date, would you have taken me anywhere else?”

“Tonight?...No,” he replied.

“Good...because this was perfect...how about on another night?”

“We’ll have to see,” he said, smiling with a slight shake of his head. “Sleep well, Nevin.”

“Goodnight, Drake” she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Drake waved as he headed to his own cabin. Riley closed and locked her door, slipped out of her dress and fell into bed. Sleep came quickly and sweet dreams filled the night.

\----------------------------------

Riley woke the next morning to the sound of knocking on her door...it wasn’t even a surprise anymore.

“I’m coming, Maxwell,” she hollered as she slipped out of bed and opened the door for him.

“How did you know it was me?” he asked as he stepped into the room.

“Well, in the last six months I can think of maybe two or three times where it wasn’t you, so...it’s basically tradition now for you to wake me up.”

“Good point, Blossom. I just wanted to make sure you were ready to head to the airport. We’re off to Shanghai!” he exclaimed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved the pool hall scene for obvious reasons. I expanded it a bit here...I loved the slow burn between Riley and Drake but in my head canon, they'd inch closer and closer each time where as in the game it felt like they'd kiss and leave it at that.


	17. With a Little Help From my Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley and her friends travel to Shanghai. They spend a relaxing afternoon at a nature preserve and meet Hana's father as Riley anticipates facing Constantine later that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is admittedly not the most exciting chapter. I tried to add in some humor and original dialog but this mostly sticks to canon and I think just serves to highlight the depth of the friendships among MC and her friends.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_What do I do when my love is away?  
Does it worry you to be alone?  
How do I feel by the end of the day?  
Are you sad because you're on your own?  
  
_

Riley packed up the last of her things to be sent over to the airport. All of the packing and unpacking was getting to be tedious and now she had extra stuff due to Fletcher but thankfully there was a full staff traveling with them to handle the logistics. Riley only ever had to look after one bag containing her travel snacks, an emergency change of clothes and personal possessions that she didn’t trust anyone else with. Now she carried one extra with doggie items. On her way out of the train, she had looked for Drake and Hana but was informed they had already departed. Hana flew ahead to meet her father for preparations and Drake flew with the Royal family, presumably preferring the company of even Madeline over Maxwell at the moment. Riley would be stuck on the nearly twelve-hour flight with Maxwell and Justin with no one to act as a buffer. Thankfully the first few hours were tolerable, with Justin busying himself with work and only a few moments of childish antics from Maxwell but there was one thing he hadn’t given up on...

“Are we there yet?” he asked for the millionth time.

“Maxwell!” Riley snapped. “You’ve been asking that since we took off.”

“I can’t help it, Blossom. I’m so excited. Hana’s parents are pulling out all the stops for us when we get to Shanghai.”

“Judging by everything Hana has told me about them, I’m sure they take hosting the Cordonian court pretty seriously.”

“I can’t wait to meet them. If they’re anything like Hana, we’ll be best friends in no time.”

“I doubt they’re anything like her actually. From what she’s said, they sound pretty intense...bordering on awful.

“Yeah, that makes sense...she does seem intimidated by them. I mean, everyone who comes to court has been through their share of tutors, but her parents really take being over-prepared to the next level.”

“I know you’ve heard a lot about Hana’s parents as well...parents,” Justin said finally looking up from his laptop, “but there’s more to them than that. It’s time to think of them as potential allies. If you want to be queen someday, you’ll need connections and allies far and wide.” 

“Thanks for the input, Justin,” Riley said sarcastically, annoyed by not only him but the mention of being queen, yet again.

“That’s what I’m here for!” he exclaimed, clearly missing Riley’s tone. “It’s important to know that Hana’s mother belongs to a minor Cordonian noble house and her father is an obscenely wealthy businessman.”

“I know those things, Justin. Hana is my best friend.”

“Hey!” Maxwell shouted.

“Best female friend, Maxwell,” Riley explained.

“Fair enough, Lady Riley,” Justin conceded, “I’m just trying to ensure you’re as prepared as possible. Word around court is that Hana’s mother will be out of town for the festivities, so your efforts will be focused on her father.”

“I’m not sure I’ve made the best impression on either of her parents so far, but she told me in Fydelia that Bertrand is a lot like her father and I have a ton of experience putting up with Bertrand,” Riley laughed. “Her father is a businessman, I’ll just have to convince him that I’m a good investment.”

“Nice metaphor, I might have to steal that one,” Justin said. “Mr. Lee is likely well-aware of the story the press has spun about you, so he may have concerns about your influence on Hana. Furthermore, given his business ties to Cordonia, I’m sure he’s planning to suss out various nobles for future business deals. If you can win him over on those two fronts, you’ll be golden. As far as introductions go, it wouldn’t hurt to greet him in Chinese.”

“That I can handle, I’ve watched plenty of Ni Hao Kai-Lan with my niece. I’m sure I’ll find a way with the rest.”

Justin nodded and turned back to his work. Riley unbuckled and headed toward the restroom and sleeping area of the plane, subtly signaling Maxwell to follow her. With the fact that she still felt uneasy around Justin, she wasn’t willing to discuss the investigation in front of him.

“So...Captain PR is uber focused on Hana’s dad and I’ll do my best, but...I’m going to need to focus on talking to Constantine. I want this over Max,” Riley whispered.

“Don’t sweat it, Blossom. You’ll get your chance...there is a state dinner tonight and the former King and Queen are scheduled to attend.”

“Perfect! Thank you, Max, but we really need to work on you giving me more than an a few hours’ notice on events.”

“I know, I know, sorry Ri,” Maxwell said as the fasten seatbelts sign lit up and the pilot announced their descent. Maxwell practically danced back to his seat and began celebrating at the sight of land.

Once they were on the ground, Maxwell, Riley, and Fletcher took a taxi together with Justin opting to get his own. Riley was thankful for the reprieve. They arrived at an ultra-modern hotel after a short ride through the bustling downtown. The afternoon sun and reflection of the sea glistened off of the all-glass structure. Inside, the lobby could rival the fanciest hotels of Paris and New York with its sleek furnishings and crystal light fixtures. By the front desk, Hana stood anxiously waiting to greet them.

“Welcome to Shanghai!” she exclaimed, pulling Riley into a hug. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t fly over here with you, I promised my father I’d help.”

“So I heard,” Riley said, “how’s that going?”

“The preparations couldn’t be going more smoothly. Things with my father...well, not much has changed.”

“Don’t let it get to you, Hana…you’re strong and you’re amazing, and if all your parents can see is whether you’ve got noblemen falling at your feet, that’s their own fault. Focus on the positives.”

“I’m trying, Riley but they are really counting on me to make it work at court, I don’t want to let them down.”

“Don’t worry….this is going to be awwwesoommmme,” Maxwell exclaimed as he danced around the lobby.

“Is he a little more hyper than usual?” Hana asked Riley.

“I barely slept on the flight but somehow I’m super awake,” Maxwell replied.

“He was downing energy drinks and coffee like his life depended on it…someone’s going to _crash_ later” Riley laughed.

“That may be so, but right now, I feel alive!” Maxwell proclaimed. “Come on, Hana, take a page from the Maxwell Beaumont lifestyle book.”

“Don’t…don’t do it, Hana” Riley said, shaking her head.

Maxwell continued to dance around to a beat that only he heard. Riley and Hana stood watching and laughing until Justin approached.

“Hey team, I’m back!”

“Yay!” Riley said in mock excitement, waving her fists in the air.

“Our accommodations are all set,” he declared, ignoring her sarcasm.

“YES!” yelled Maxwell, “time for a pillow fort,” he said as he grabbed a key card from Justin’s hands and ran for the elevator. Justin handed Riley her key card and they all followed after Maxwell. Justin and Maxwell went their separate ways while Hana joined Riley to help her settle in. Her trunks were already neatly stacked in the room, so Riley unpacked her bag and set-up the small pillow bed she had for Fletcher. Once she was done, she opened the sliding glass door out onto her balcony to take in the gorgeous view of the coastline.

“Wow. So this is where you grew up?” she marveled to Hana.

“Yes. Well, not _right_ here. We lived closer to the big financial district, but my parents made Shanghai our home once I was born. My dad loves it here.”

Riley sighed and turned to face Hana, leaning against the balcony railing…“So…I think we both know I’m facing an uphill battle here, both with confronting Constantine and meeting your dad. Honestly I don’t know which one will be harder…do you have any advice on how I can win your dad over?” Riley asked.

“Riley! I didn’t realize you were so worried about meeting him.”

“You’re my best friend, Hana. I want your dad to like me and I’m not naïve, I know that’s going to take some work given the circumstances.”

“Honestly, yeah, he’s had some mixed feelings about me being around you ever since I stood up to them on that phone call a few months ago. I really hope that meeting you in person will change his mind.”

“Meeting the _real_ me, or the perfectly trained noblewoman version of me?”

“Riley, I think even with all the training you’ve been given, you’ve still managed to stay true to yourself, so just let him see that.”

“Ok…I will be the most polite and gracious guest he has ever met.”

“I don’t think any parent could complain about that. I just want him to get to know my best friend. He’s met plenty of noblewomen, but I don’t think he’s ever met anyone as kind and thoughtful and funny as you.”

“I hope he’ll agree with you. Will he be meeting us later?”

“Yes. He’s really excited to show the royal family our local nature reserve. We should head over there soon.”

“Ok…are we going straight to the state dinner from there?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Then I guess I need to find something to wear that’s suitable for both.”

“That’s actually another reason I chose this hotel for all of you. It has a boutique on the ground floor.”

“You always think of everything. If I ever move back to the US, I don’t know how I’d go back to normal shopping when I have constant access to boutiques here.”

“Back to the US? You’re going to leave?” Hana said with a look of panic.

“No…no…I don’t have a plan to leave. I only meant it as a joke because boutiques in houses and on trains is just so… _weird_ to me, but…I don’t know what will happen when this tour is over. If there’s no reason for me to stay in Cordonia, then I’ll have no choice.”

“But you’re a member of the court,” Hana protested. “Surely they’d let you stay.”

“I was invited back to court to be Liam’s mistress, Hana. Honestly, since I’ve refused up to this point, I’m surprised I’m even still here now. But I am sure that is Liam’s doing.”

“I don’t even want to _think_ about you leaving,” Hana replied.

“Then let’s not…we have a boutique to get to…lead the way.”

Hana led Riley, along with Fletcher, back to the elevators and down to the boutique in the lobby. They skimmed through racks of dresses looking for one that would be comfortable enough for the afternoon at the reserve yet elegant enough for the state dinner. Finally, Riley pulled an ice blue gown from the rack and held it up for Hana’s approval.

“That style is very on trend here right now,” she said, “and I’m sure the court would love it too.”

“And your dad?”

“He may not follow the latest fashion trends, but he knows a dignified dress when he sees one. I bet it would make a good impression.”

The gown was light and airy. When she put it on, Riley almost felt like Elsa from _Frozen_. The skirt was billowing layers of sheer chiffon with a modest slit up one leg and the bodice was sequined in a design that mimicked icicles, finished with a sheer overlay that created a boatneck and cap sleeves. When Riley stepped out of the dressing room and did a twirl, Hana’s smile was all the approval she needed. They headed off to the lobby to depart for the reserve and found Maxwell waiting for them.

“So…I guess I nodded off for a bit but, I’m back now!” he declared. “And I drank a whole pot of coffee to help with the jet lag, so…”

“More coffee!” Riley exclaimed. “I hope there is room to run around at the reserve,” she said to Hana, “Maxwell is going to need it.”

Outside the hotel, they hailed a taxi for the short ride to the reserve. They were dropped off right on the edge of a towering bamboo grove; a familiar face waiting nearby.

“I was wondering when you’d show up, Nevin,” Drake said as he helped her out of the taxi with Fletcher.

“Maybe if you had flown with us, you wouldn’t have to wonder,” she said with a wink.

“You made it just in time,” he replied, nodding toward a stage where Liam had just stepped up to speak with Madeline at his side.

“It is a great honor to be granted a tour of this sanctuary,” Liam said to the crowd. “I hope this visit will help inspire Cordonia’s own conservation efforts. Now, if you’ll all follow our hosts…” he said, gesturing to a group of staff members all dressed in matching slacks and shirts. A man dressed in a suit bowed to Liam in recognition.

“I swear none of the bamboo looked this tall from the outside,” Drake marveled as they moved to follow the crowd.

“Whoaaa. This place would make even Bertrand feel chill,” Maxwell said.

“Where is he, anyway?” Hana asked. “I thought he’d be on the plane with you.”

“The last time I saw him was at Liam’s bachelor party,” Maxwell said, looking hesitantly at Drake. “He text me to say he was going to talk to Savannah, but since then…radio silence.”

Riley watched Drake who seemed to be taking deep measured breaths and avoiding Maxwell’s gaze.

“Ummm…was that really a good idea on Bertrand’s part?” Riley asked. “What if Savannah doesn’t want to see him?”

“I called ahead to warn her,” Drake said sadly. “It was my temper that set the whole thing in motion, after all.”

“Oh, Drake…what did she say?” Riley asked, placing comforting hand on his arm.

“She wasn’t mad. She just…got quiet. And she said she should’ve told Bertrand a long time ago, so in a way she was glad I’d done it. I just hope I didn’t make things worse.”

“I bet it’ll all work out just fine,” Maxwell said optimistically.

“Right, because you’re such a great judge of…” Drake started angrily. Riley squeezed his arm and he looked at her sadly before backing down. 

“Whatever happens now is up to the two of them…you both,” Riley said looking between the men, “need to stay out of it from here on out!”

Drake was still glaring angrily as Maxwell coward under his gaze, but they nodded in unison. Thankfully the drama wrapped up just in time...

“Dad,” Hana exclaimed as the man in the suit that had been with the staff walked up to join them. “Everyone, this is my father, Xinghai Lee.”

“Ni hao, Mr. Lee” Riley said.

“Ni hao” he replied with a slight bow. “You must be Drake, Lord Maxwell, and…Lady Riley…Hana never mentioned that you had a diplomat’s sense of style.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lee. That’s very kind of you.”

“You’ll fit right in at tonight’s dinner. You know, Lady Riley, I’ve heard a great deal about you from my daughter…and from the tabloids. Hardly ideal to have one’s name in such publications.”

“Honestly, sir…I feel paying attention to them just adds fuel to the fire.”

“An interesting strategy. You devalue the rumors by refusing to grant them a response. I’ve used similar tactics on occasion when false claims were pressed against my business. I didn’t expect you to have such a mind for public relations.”

“It comes with the territory in my chosen field of study. I learned a lot about the relationship between public relations and political campaigns. In today’s world, particularly in the US, but on a global scale really, the media plays such a large role in politics; it’s important to know how to manage it.”

“While you’ve done an impressive job weathering the storm, it is clear you have enemies. I worry that my daughter’s association with you puts her at risk,” Mr. Lee said. “The scandal may affect her reputation just as much as yours.”

“Mr. Lee, I understand that unfortunately sometimes people are judged by the company they keep. I care about Hana a great deal; if she asked me to, I’d give her space. I’d never do anything to hurt her. If being around me puts her in a bad position…I’d miss her, but I wouldn’t want to get in her way.”

“Riley!” Hana exclaimed. “I’d never ask you to do that.”

“That’s…very considerate of you,” Mr. Lee replied. “I’m glad to hear you have my daughter’s best interests at heart. Perhaps _she_ should follow your example.”

“One thing you can count on is that I will always have Hana’s back.”

As they continued chat and walk further into the reserve, the sounds of delighted laughter traveled through the crowd. Maxwell pushed through to the front and immediately turned back to his friends with an excited smile.

“Pandas!” he exclaimed, excitedly waving the group over. They joined him at the side of a small enclosure where Liam was inside, cuddling a fluffy panda cub. A second small cub wandered out of the bamboo stalks and came to sit at Liam’s feet, pawing at his shoes.

“Riley…I think I’m dead,” Maxwell said breathlessly. “Our plane must’ve crashed on the way here. I am in heaven. Panda heaven.”

“Remarkable, aren’t they,” Mr. Lee said, chuckling.

“They’re adorable,” Hana replied. “Can we go inside too, Father? Please?”

“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully. “Ordinarily, the staff doesn’t allow many visitors. They made an exception for King Liam, but…I might be able to convince them to make another exception.”

Mr. Lee walked over to speak with the staff while Maxwell danced happily as if they had already been granted entrance. Drake looked on with trepidation…“Umm…those are panda _bears_. They could be dangerous,” he said. At that moment, one of the cubs tried to grab Liam’s leg and missed, sending him into a somersault across the ground. When it rolled to a stop, it picked up a sprig of bamboo to munch on, totally unaffected by it’s tumble.

“Yep…” Riley laughed, “they look ferocious.”

Fletcher was mesmerized watching the pandas and began to dance around excitedly like Maxwell.

“Come on Drake. Even Fletcher likes them,” Maxwell said.

“Ok,” Drake relented, “they’re kinda cute.”

“Victory!” Hana declared.

“I’m in if you are, Nevin,” Drake said.

“If Mr. Lee says it’s ok, I say let’s do it!” Riley said.

Mr. Lee returned a moment later, smiling at the group…“Good news…you can all join King Liam and the cubs. Including this one,” he said gesturing to Fletcher, “as long as he’s up to date on all his shots.”

“Thank you, Father,” Hana said.

“Best. Day. Ever.” Maxwell declared.

A member of the staff escorted the group to the gate of the enclosure and provided them with gloves and smocks to wear while playing with the pandas. Liam looked thrilled to see his friends and waved them all over as they stepped inside.

“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Yue Yue…” he said, patting the cub sitting beside him. “And her brother Yang Yang.”

“They’re both so precious,” Hana cooed, picking up Yue Yue.

“I’ve never seen anything cuter in my life,” Maxwell declared.

“Maxwell!” Riley exclaimed. “Sshh…you’re going to hurt Fletcher’s feelings.”

“I mean, apart from Fletcher.”

Fletcher sat down at Maxwell’s feet, directly in front of Yang Yang, who didn’t know what to make of the dog and began reaching his paws up toward Liam to be picked up. Liam obliged and picked him up, offering his friends a chance to hold him.

“Liam, I think Maxwell should hold him,” Riley said.

“Riley…I will never forget this,” Maxwell cried. “Uncle Maxwell is going to take good care of you buddy,” he said, taking the cub from Liam. “I read that pandas like having their bellies rubbed.”

“And you read that…where?” Drake asked.

“On the internet.”

Maxwell tickled Yang Yang’s belly and the cub playfully batted at his hand before curling up contentedly against his chest.

“I think I found my calling,” Maxwell declared.

“Uh oh…I think I see a panda tattoo in Maxwell’s future,” Riley joked before noticing Yue Yue sitting quietly nearby looking out of sorts. “Is she okay?” she asked.

“She’s probably hungry. One of the tour guides was saying they eat for hours every day,” Liam replied.

Riley walked over to the small stalks of bamboo that were growing around the enclosure and carefully broke off a piece. Yue Yue happily took it in her paws and began munching away. With Hana and Maxwell keeping Yang Yang entertained, Riley decided to sit with Yue Yue when Liam came over to join her.

“Hello, Lady Riley. I hope your first day in Shanghai has been as lovely as you are,” Liam said.

“It’s been…interesting to say the least,” she replied. “Jet lag, caffeine fueled Maxwell, meeting Mr. Lee and now, baby pandas! I’m not sure we’ll be able to get Maxwell to leave. We’ll have to wait for the caffeine crash and carry him out of here.”

“I’m glad the reserve’s staff allowed all of you to join me. The right company can improve any experience.”

“And, your fiancé didn’t want to keep you company?” Riley asked.

“Sadly, she doesn’t share my affinity for animals,” Liam replied.

“I can’t imagine anyone not loving these little guys,” she said, patting Yue Yue.

Across the enclosure, Hana and Maxwell were still playing with Yang Yang when Fletcher tried to join in. The two animals circled each other curiously until it was clear that they could be friends.

“I didn’t think these cubs could get any cuter…but I was wrong,” Hana said as she and Maxwell watched Fletcher and Yang Yang start what appeared to be a game of tag.

“Maxwell, are you…crying,” Riley exclaimed.

“N-no! I just have bamboo dust in my eye.”

Everyone was so busy watching Fletcher and Yang Yang, that they had lost track of Yue Yue until Riley saw her climbing up a rock on the other side of the enclosure. When she reached the top, she was unsteady on her feet and began to sway, losing her balance. Riley raced over just in time to catch her as she fell from the rock. Yue Yue squealed with delight in Riley’s arms. The minute Riley set her back on the ground, she began toddling over to the rock again.

“Oh no…” Riley said.

“I think you just taught her a new game, Nevin,” Drake said coming up behind her.

“It’s okay, I’ll watch her,” Maxwell declared as he came bounding over. 

“Ummm…does anyone want to watch _this_ one?” Drake asked looking down at his leg. Yang Yang had wandered over and was trying to climb Drake. “Hey, I’m not a tree!” Drake hollered.

“Awww….Drake, I think he just wants you to pick him up” Riley said.

“But what if I drop him?”

“You won’t…it’s no different than a baby and I already gave you pointers on that. Just pick him up!”

Drake looked at Riley and then down at Yang Yang who was looking up at him expectantly. In one quick motion, he hoisted Yang Yang into his arms and the cub immediately cuddled to his chest.

“He likes you,” Hana declared.

“If any of you takes a picture of this, I will never forgive you,” Drake said.

“Too late” Riley declared, waving her phone at him while everyone laughed. “Photo evidence that Drake Walker is a softie,” she whispered. Drake tried his hardest to fight the small smile playing on his lips.

All too soon, the panda experience came to an end as a staff member arrived to escort them out of the enclosure where they were met by Mr. Lee.

“So? What did you all think?” he asked.

“That was an incredible experience,” Liam replied.

“My life has been forever changed,” Maxwell declared dramatically.

“They were so friendly,” Hana said.

“They were pretty cute for glorified balls of fluff,” Drake relented.

“That was unforgettable, Mr. Lee. Thank you!” Riley said.

“I’m always glad when visitors appreciate the wonder of such creatures,” Mr. Lee said.

As the group began making their way to the front of the reserve to depart, Liam fell in step with Riley.

“Will I be seeing you at the dinner tonight, Lady Riley?”

“Of course. I will be there, I need to talk to your father.”

“Perhaps I can be of some assistance.”

“Thank you, I need all the help I can get and I know you want answers from him too.”

“Indeed, I do. I will do what I can. Perhaps when the dinner starts winding down, I can draw him away from the rest of the court. One way or another, this will be over tonight,” he said, discreetly taking Riley’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Without another word, he hurried ahead to join the rest of the royal party while Riley joined her friends and Mr. Lee who were mid-conversation.

“…and that is why a group of pandas is called an ‘embarrassment’,” Mr. Lee explained.

“Who knew I could have so much in common with pandas,” Maxwell said.

“We did, Maxwell,” Riley laughed, “we all knew. So, Mr. Lee,” she continued, “you seem very at home here.”

“I’m one of the reserve’s chief investors,” he explained. “I contribute to many non-profit organizations, but this reserve is something of a passion project for me. I like to keep a close eye on it. Tell me, Lady Riley, if you were in a position to do so, what sort of organizations would you invest in?”

“I..um…I have a few causes close to my heart. I have worked with and contributed to both the Sepsis Alliance and Fight Colorectal Cancer in honor of my mother. I’ve advocated within the government and healthcare organizations for screening to begin at an earlier age. If I had the ability to fund a passion project though, it would be a shelter and counseling organization for young women who are…victims of abuse,” she said hesitantly, fighting the tears as Drake looked on knowingly.

“Very worthy causes,” Mr. Lee said. “Perhaps you have a greater appreciation for giving back than I gave you credit for. That is part of what motivated me to invest in this sanctuary.”

“What was the other part?” Riley asked, discreetly wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Oh, I have something of a personal interest in the giant panda.”

“Dad, they don’t want to hear that old story,” Hana interjected.

“So what you’re saying is, this is an adorably embarrassing baby Hana story?” Maxwell asked.

“Now he _has_ to tell us,” Riley said.

“Oh, it’s not that embarrassing. Years ago, when Hana was maybe six or seven, I took her to the local zoo to see pandas for the first time. I’d been working non-stop on a major acquisition for my company, but I promised Hana I’d take a day off to spend with her. So we arrived, and as it turns out, a new cub had been born just a few weeks before.”

“I remember that part. It was the tiniest little thing covered in fuzz,” Hana added.

“She was so excited! She kept asking me if we could go introduce ourselves to the cubs.”

“Heh. I can picture it,” Drake laughed.

“Aww…baby Hana was polite and adorable,” Maxwell said.

“We spent the whole afternoon at the zoo. Listening to the zookeepers talk about how rare those cubs were, and seeing Hana watch them, all starry-eyed…It might sound strange, but it made me think about just how precious my time with her was. I wanted to honor that memory by helping to preserve these incredible creatures, so others can experience the same joy and reflection they brought me.”

“When this reserve was founded, Dad made sure his company was one of their first investors,” Hana said.

“That is incredibly sweet,” Riley said.

“That’s what I thought when he brought me here. I was really proud to see our family supporting a place like this.”

“See?” Mr. Lee said. “That wasn’t too embarrassing, was it?” he asked just as they reached the reserve entrance. “This is where I must say my farewells. I need to double-check a few things at the restaurant before the court arrives.”

“Do you need any help?” Hana asked.

“No, no. You must stay here with the court!” he said giving her a quick hug and shaking hands with Maxwell and Drake. “I am glad to have met you both,” he said to them. “And I am especially glad to have met you, Lady Riley,” he said turning to her. “Considering the rumors about you and some of the things I’d heard from Hana…I wasn’t sure what to expect. But now I can see why my daughter considers you a respectable friend.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lee. It was certainly a pleasure to meet you,” Riley said, shaking his hand before he departed toward his waiting car.

“Riley!” Hana exclaimed. “That was an _actual compliment_. He really liked you!”

“I knew we’d hit it off,” Maxwell declared.

“It’s not like he complimented _you,_ ” Drake scoffed.

“Yeah, but I could tell that we were bonding.”

“Sure. Anyway, where’s this dinner everyone keeps talking about? We’ve been walking around all afternoon, I’m hungry,” Drake said.

“Don’t get between this man and his food,” Riley said with a laugh.

“It looks like the royal motorcade is leaving for the restaurant now,” Hana said.

“Take me to the food!” Maxwell cried.

Hana showed them to a waiting limo and they all climbed in. Riley slid in next to Drake, discreetly looping her pinky around his. The contact helped ease her racing hurt as she anticipated what the rest of the night would bring.


	18. Easy Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley finally gets her chance to confront Constantine but it doesn't go as planned. Some light is finally shed in the investigation and Riley shares the news with her friends before a night out on the town to take her mind off of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty canon compliant. The one "change" I made was something that had always bothered me while playing through on the app. Throughout the investigation, Olivia's blackmailing constantly seemed to get lost in the shuffle with the focus obviously being on MC (Riley) and Olivia constantly has to remind the group that she was effected too. MY Riley cares about other people just as much, sometimes more, than she cares about herself so in my head canon, it is never out of her head that Olivia was hurt too. The changes are small but an acknowledgement to "fix" something I felt was missing in the app. (More notes on this at the end to prevent spoilers.)
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_And I come to find refuge, in the easy silence that you make for  
It’s okay when there’s nothing more to say to me  
And the peaceful quiet you create for me  
And the way you keep the world at bay for me  
The way you keep the world at bay  
  
_

It was a quiet and tension filled ride for Riley as the car followed the royal motorcade through the streets of Shanghai and pulled up to a high-end restaurant on the ground floor of a luxury high-rise. The whole restaurant had been rented out and closed to the public for the event. A server showed the group to their table in the large open dining room. At the front of the room, Liam and Madeline were already seated at the head table and had been joined by the King Father and Queen Mother. Riley glared in his direction as anger and anxiety rose within her until she felt Drake’s reassuring hand cover hers under the table.

“I can’t let Constantine out of my sight tonight. If any of you see him getting up to leave…”

“Don’t worry, Riley. We’ll help keep an eye on him,” Hana assured her.

“You know what they always say. Four pairs of eyes are better than one,” Maxwell said.

“Nobody says that,” Drake huffed.

“It could catch on.”

A moment later another server approached the table and pulled out the only remaining chair which came to be occupied by Olivia.

“I should have known Madeline would seat me with all of you,” Olivia declared haughtily as she smoothed her dress.

“That’s because we’re friends!” Riley replied, knowing it would get a rise out Olivia.

“Excuse me? We are _no such thing_.”

“Oh, come on…you’ve helped us a lot with this investigation. We have a common goal.”

“Riley, please, even someone as simple as you can’t possibly think that is the definition of friendship. I tolerate you as a means to an end, nothing more.”

“Haven’t you ever heard that ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’? Let’s just enjoy this dinner together.”

“I…I suppose I’ve survived worse meals,” Olivia scoffed.

“That’ll do.”

“When is the food happening anyway?” Maxwell asked.

“Isn’t banging the table for your supper usually Walker’s thing?” Olivia asked.

“Hey!” Drake hissed. “I don’t bang the table, I’m not an unmannered Neanderthal.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Olivia laughed.

“Would all of you just relax!” Riley exclaimed. “I don’t need this crap tonight…the food will get here when it gets here.”

“It should be here soon,” Hana assured them. “And there will be plenty of it. Dinner here is served family-style. I promise it will be delicious.”

“Forget food. We’ve already got drinks,” Drake said nodding at the ceramic bottle in the middle of the table.

Riley reached for the bottle and poured some of the rice wine into the glass in front of Drake first.

“Thanks, Nevin.”

“I know your priorities,” she joked. “So, how is it? On a scale of one to whiskey?” she asked as he took a sip.

“…an eight,” he declared.

“Ahh…high praise.”

Riley poured glasses for the rest of the table while they continued to talk, waiting for dinner.

“I, umm, didn’t see you earlier today, Olivia. Were you at the nature reserve with the rest of the court?” Hana asked.

“Yes. A pointless excursion if you ask me.”

“Well, nobody asked…but seriously? You didn’t get anything out of it? Tranquility, relaxation…cute panda cubs?” Riley said.

“No. Watching those sorry excuses for bears tumble about is something that only the weakest of the weak would take pleasure in.”

“Someone sounds defensive,” Maxwell said. “The pandas totally got to you, didn’t they?”

“Just because they’re so pathetic and small and defenseless, and furry…with big ears…” Olivia said, almost showing a softer side before being interrupted by the arrival of the first course. The server sat down a large serving dish filled with colorful stemmed vegetables topped with fried rice noodles.

“Hana…you promised me down-to-earth food,” Drake said, looking at the artistic display.

“I promised you _good_ food, Drake. This is traditional Chinese banquet. It’s time for you to have an open mind,” Hana replied.

“If Olivia can learn to love pandas, Drake can learn to appreciate gourmet Chinese food,” Maxwell said.

“I never said…” Olivia protested.

“We all heard it Olivia, no sense in denying it now,” Riley said. “Now, come on Drake, give it a shot.”

“I know you’ll all love it. This is my favorite dish here,” Hana said.

“I think it looks delicious, Hana. I should have known your family would feed us something as beautiful as it is tasty,” Riley said as she took a serving and savored the first bite

“Come on, Drake. It’s got the Riley seal of approval” Maxwell said.

“Okay, okay,” Drake relented, taking a serving and biting into an aromatic bell pepper. “For gourmet food, this is…really satisfying,” he said with a look of surprise on his face.

“I told you!” Hana said.

Everyone enjoyed second helpings and the conversation flowed easily with minimal involvement from Riley. She couldn’t take her eyes off the royal table. In the midst of her stare down, she locked eyes with Liam who subtly nodded before turning and whispering something to Constantine. A moment later, they both rose from their seats and headed down a narrow hallway off the dining room. Riley hesitated for a moment since the plan had been to wait until after dinner, but not wanting to miss her chance, she decided to follow.

“I need you all to hold down the fort. I’m going to follow Liam and the King Father,” she said.

“What? Why?” Olivia exclaimed.

“Maxwell can explain. Just stay here and act like everything is normal.”

“We’ve got your back, Nevin. We’ll head off anyone who tries to follow you,” Drake said with a squeeze of her hand.

“Be careful, Riley,” Hana said.

Riley rose from her chair while Maxwell explained Constantine’s possible role in the scandal to Olivia, silently praying that Olivia wouldn’t make a scene. The reaction of the Scarlet Duchess wasn’t exactly mild as Riley heard her pound the table and exclaim “Of all the underhanded…” before Olivia’s voice dropped back down to acceptable levels. Riley knew Olivia had just as much right to be angry but was thankful she didn’t try to follow for the confrontation. Making her way as quickly and inconspicuously as possible, she slipped into a hallway where Liam and Constantine stood talking out of sight of the court.

“So, what was this urgent matter you were telling me about, Liam?” Constantine asked. “Urgent enough to interrupt our meal.”

“The matter is…this,” Liam said, nodding to Riley who was standing just behind Constantine.

“Lady Riley?” he said, turning around. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to make you face what you did to me,” Riley said bluntly. Her anger was under control for the moment, but she wasn’t going to tip-toe around the issue.

“I…” Constantine stammered before he broke off into a coughing fit. Liam took half a step toward him, but Constantine cleared his throat, attempting to catch his breath and held up a hand. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he declared when he could speak again.

“Oh, really? I think you know exactly what I am talking about. You…”

“Liam!” Constantine said, interrupting her. “What is the meaning of…”

Before he could finish, he was overcome with another coughing fit. All the color drained from his face while he clutched at his chest, gasping for air and collapsed against the wall. Riley and Liam looked on in shock and horror.

“Father?” Liam yelled.

“Can’t…breathe…” Constantine choked out.

“I’ll go get help,” Riley shouted.

At that moment, Regina came around the corner and took in the scene, rushing to Constantine’s side where he lay on the ground. A group of guards followed quickly behind her.

“Get him to a hospital at once!” Regina demanded.

Guards swooped in and lifted Constantine off the ground. Still gasping for air, they ushered him out a side door as Regina rounded on Liam and Riley.

“You are not to say a word of this to anyone, Lady Riley. Do you understand?”

“I…I won’t…what’s wrong with him?”

“That’s none of your…”

“Regina! We don’t have time for this. We need to go and Lady Riley is coming with us,” Liam declared.

Regina turned down the hall toward the door where the guards had taken Constantine. Liam took Riley by the hand and followed after. Piling into the royal limo, they sped off to the hospital. Once they arrived, Regina was led away by a nurse while Liam and Riley were taken to a private waiting room. They sat in silence for close to two hours until a doctor came in and pulled Liam aside speaking in hushed tones. When the doctor left, Liam took the seat beside Riley.

“My father is stable, for now. The staff will let us see him.”

“Liam, are you sure you want to do this right now? Here?” Riley asked, gesturing around.

“If not now…I don’t know when we’ll have another chance” Liam said sadly.

“This…this is bad, isn’t it?” Riley said. Liam could only nod. Taking her hand again, he led her down the hall into a small hospital room where Constantine was lying in a bed looking like a shell of the once powerful king he had been. At the sound of the door, he turned toward Liam.

“Liam, you didn’t have to come,” he said.

“But I did, Father. I’m sorry…” Liam said as Riley stepped into the room.

“Lady Riley, you shouldn’t be here,” Constantine said angrily.

“Yes, she should,” Liam declared firmly.

“Your Majesty…I am only here because I… _we_ , need to know the truth,” she said looking from Constantine up at Liam.

“I suppose there is no point in hiding the obvious,” Constantine relented. “The truth is…I’m dying.”

“That…I…what?” Riley stammered.

“I have an extremely aggressive form of lung cancer,” he explained. “Assuming my condition doesn’t worsen, I’m scheduled for surgery in several weeks. It may buy me a few months, but my days will still be numbered. So…there you are Lady Riley. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

“Sir…I am very sorry to hear what you are going through, and believe me when I say I hope, for Liam’s sake, that you get more time to be with your loved ones, but…I didn’t come here out of some morbid curiosity about your condition and that is not the truth I was looking for. But I think you know that and maybe even hoped that by telling me you’re dying, I’d let it go…but I can’t. I need to know why you set me up.”

Constantine looked from Riley to Liam before looking away without saying a word.

“I know about Bastien, Penelope, Tariq, the photos…” Riley continued. “All of it…but what I don’t understand is why.”

“We need answers, Father,” Liam said commandingly.

“Very well,” Constantine said, finally looking back to them. “After my diagnosis, once my health began to decline, I knew I would be unable to rule much longer.”

“Was the cancer why you abdicated last social season?” Riley asked.

“Yes. I only told my children and my wife the real reason, though my illness came as a shock to them too. I was hoping not to place this burden upon you so soon, Liam. These are difficult times for Cordonia. We’ve always had our share of enemies, but throughout my reign I’ve seen them grow bolder and bolder.”

“What kind of enemies?” Riley asked.

“If they were easy to name, it would be a simpler matter to deal with them. Suffice it to say there are those who envy Cordonia’s prosperity, and they aren’t afraid to use violence to undermine us.”

“Violence? Against the crown? Drake told me about an assassination attempt on your family while he was in college. Is that what these enemies do?”

“Yes,” Liam said, “and that wasn’t the first.”

“You mean, your mother.”

“Yes.”

“But…what does that have to do with me and framing me?” Riley asked.

“Once I realized I could not be there to help Liam face such threats, I…I had to secure Cordonia’s future” Constantine explained.

“By sending a man to my room and hiring a photographer to invade my privacy? He could have raped me…he probably would have if it hadn’t been for Drake. But you still got your pictures and then you let the press tell lies about me. Did you feed them the details of my past too, or just tell them where to look? If you knew what I had been through in my life, why would you set it up to happen to me again? Why…why did you do that to me?”

“It was never my intention for you to be in danger…but yes…I did all of that. It was obvious how Liam felt about you. Given the choice, I knew he would ask you to be his queen. I must admit, you impressed me. I had low expectations for such a newcomer at court, but you’ve proven to be resilient and intelligent.”

“I take no comfort in that…I couldn’t care less what you think of me now. But why, if you realized those things about me, couldn’t you just let Liam make his own choice?”

“Because, you still could not compete with Madeline. Thanks to her former betrothal to Liam’s brother, she spent years preparing to be queen. With you as his choice, we would have faced the world with an inexperienced queen and inexperience can be seen as weakness. And weakness, even in appearance…especially in appearance…is fatal. I’ve lost too much to our kingdom’s enemies, and when I am gone, there will be no one left to protect my son from those same enemies. One wrong step, and Liam could lose his kingdom, or even his life. Madeline was my best hope of keeping him…and Cordonia..safe. So…I took steps to ensure that he would choose her instead of you.”

“So you abdicated but still wanted control…that’s what this really comes down to. You raised Liam to be prepared, you knew that he was the better suited of your sons to be King but then didn’t trust him to make his first decision as such. And you claim it was to keep him safe as if somehow a woman who doesn’t _actually_ care about him is really the best choice. I assume you forced Olivia to drop out of the running too?”

“Yes. She is far too rash to ever sit upon the throne, especially in light of her family’s history.”

“She is fierce and protective, no one would ever assume her to be weak, even in appearance. She is loyal and she _loves_ Liam,” Riley declared as Liam went wide-eyed. “But you chose to hold her accountable for decisions her parents made when she was a _child_. You’ve done nothing but make excuses and while I know Olivia and I mean nothing to you, I can’t believe you would put your own son through this, all because you think _you_ get to decide what’s best for Cordonia.”

“It was my duty as Cordonia’s king!” Constantine shouted.

“But you’re not the King, Father. Not anymore,” Liam said.

“Liam, please. I know that I’ve hurt you, but this is the price of wearing the crown. I couldn’t afford to put your happiness, or Riley’s, above our people’s future. You will have to make sacrifices of your own sooner or later….”

Liam squared his shoulders and Riley saw his ‘mask’ come down, his face strong yet emotionless as he held up a hand to cut Constantine off.

“No, father” he said firmly. “You act as though you didn’t have a choice. But you made a decision about what you were willing to do. What kind of king…what kind of father…you wanted to be. Now, here is mine. I love Lady Riley, Father. I’m not going to deny that. If you hadn’t interfered, I would have proposed to her the night I was crowned.”

Riley turned away and wrapped her arms around herself and clutched tight…the truth from Constantine had been too much, the anger inside her had felt like too much and now hearing Liam’s declaration of love when she couldn’t say the same was simply overwhelming.

“I may not have been able to stop you from hurting Riley,” Liam continued. “But I can still make this right. As the King of Cordonia, I am placing Lady Riley under my protection. I will keep her safe. I will help her right the wrongs that have been done to her. And I am commanding you, as your monarch, to help us in any way you can.”

Constantine remained locked in a stare down with Liam, but it was clear that the student had surpassed the teacher when Liam didn’t flinch and Constantine broke.

“I…I…very well,” he conceded. “I only hope that my fears are proven wrong.”

“And how are we to possibly trust your word after all this?” Riley asked.

“It’s all I have to offer. If my son wishes to keep an eye on me, that is up to him. Though I expect I’ll be confined to my bed in the near future. Unfortunately, I cannot come forward to clear your name myself.”

“Why the hell not?” Riley demanded, letting her anger get the better of her. “You did this…you made me a victim _again_. I have had to face the demons of my past all while the press demeans me over lies that you orchestrated. I have no choice but to face the truths that were in those articles but the _least_ you can do is clear my name of the lies.”

“Admitting my involvement would shake the Cordonian people’s faith in their rulers. Past _and_ present.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you acted, _Your Majesty,”_ she hissed.

“He…he has a point, Riley,” Liam conceded. It shouldn’t have shocked her that he’d side with his father, but it did and it hurt.

“To set things right, you must find Tariq,” Constantine said.

“That’s what we’ve been trying to do…so if you sent him away to cover your lies, then tell me where he is.”

“Even I don’t know his whereabouts. I did encourage him to leave Cordonia in light of his…disgrace, but I’ve had no contact with him since. I promise, after tonight, I will help Liam enlist the services of the King’s Guard.”

“You mean the same King’s Guard led by the man you ordered to help set me up? Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Riley…they are our best hope,” Liam said, trying to calm her.

“Fine,” she relented. “We’ll do it your way, but I have one more condition, if you don’t agree to it, I will expose you myself…you will back off of Olivia too…no one will ever know the truth about her parents.”

“That is a fair request…I should warn you though, I am not the only one who knows the truth. But, I can give you my word that no one will ever hear it from me. For now though, I must make my priority trying to buy myself more time on this earth,” Constantine said, nodding toward the door where a doctor was waiting to speak with him.

“Good luck with that,” Riley said snidely.

Liam walked Riley to the door…“I’m going to stay with him, are you alright?” 

“I’ll be fine, Liam.”

“I’m sorry…I wish I could leave with you and…I’m sorry for all of this.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for…his actions were his own and I know why you’re staying; no matter what, he is your father.”

“You have been far more understanding than you should have to be.”

“Don’t give me too much credit…it took every bit of my restraint to stay even remotely calm in there.”

“Well, you deserve the credit, you handled yourself admirably. My father never should have doubted you, or your ability to handle the duties of queen.”

“That’s not important at the moment,” Riley said, recalling his declaration of love, “but we do need to talk.”

“That we do…we will find the time for it, but for now, get back to the hotel safely,” he said as he stepped forward to embrace her

“Thank you, Liam,” she replied accepting his hug.

\----------------------------------------------------

Riley walked into the hotel lobby about thirty minutes later after having to wait for a taxi, surprised to find all of her friends waiting for her in the lounge.

“What are you all doing up?” she asked as she joined them.

“First you and Liam disappeared at the dinner, then the Queen Mother ran off…we didn’t know what was happening” Hana said.

“We were worried about you” Maxwell added.

“Speak for yourselves” Olivia scoffed. “I’m just here to see if you accomplished anything useful.”

“Did you talk to Constantine?” Drake asked.

“Yes, I…I don’t know how much I should say…I was told not to speak of what happened but…” Riley said.

“What? By who?” Maxwell asked.

“The Queen Mother.”

“You can trust us, Riley” Hana said.

“I know…and you guys deserve to know, you’ve supported me this whole time. Liam and I confronted Constantine at the restaurant but…he collapsed. We didn’t get to talk to him again until the doctors at the hospital stabilized him.”

“What?” Drake exclaimed.

“Constantine has aggressive lung cancer, he’s…he’s dying. That’s why he announced his abdication at the Regatta _and_ why he took steps to ensure Liam chose Madeline.”

“He admitted it!” Hana exclaimed.

“All of it,” Riley said.

Over the next half hour, she recounted everything Constantine had confessed as well as Liam’s reaction, her demands and the plan for the investigation going forward.

“How _dare_ he,” Olivia yelled, drawing the attention of people passing through the lobby. “If it weren’t for him, I could have…I could have…I guess it doesn’t matter now. He’s dying. Liam must be heartbroken,” she said as her tone softened.

“That’s…that’s a lot to take in, Nevin” Drake sighed.

“At least you finally know why Constantine did this to you…” Hana said.

“To both of us,” Olivia interjected.

“Liam is the one who wanted to know why…knowing doesn’t change things for me or Olivia. She was still wronged and I…I still have to find Tariq if I have any hope of clearing my name. I will never forgive him for what he did.”

“Good. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness,” Olivia said.

“I mean, he _is_ really sick…” Maxwell offered.

“That doesn’t excuse what he did,” Drake hissed. “If he wants forgiveness, he’ll have to do more than just apologize.”

“There’s no way he’ll do anything to earn it…he made it clear that he won’t come forward with his role. Finding Tariq is my only hope. At least Constantine said he’d back off, so for the first time, I don’t have to be afraid of lurking danger.”

“Well, since we’re not going to find Tariq tonight, and we’re all up late anyway…we might as well make the most of Riley’s new freedom,” Hana said.

“And what, exactly, does that mean?” Drake asked.

“I want to take you all to a market. Some of the best food in the city is sold at these little outdoor markets, and my favorite one isn’t far from here.”

“Hmm…I won’t turn down more food,” Drake said.

“My stomach agrees with Drake,” Maxwell said. “Besides, when’s the next time we’re going to be in Shanghai? We’ve gotta make the most of it.”

“I could eat too, since I missed the rest of dinner,” Riley said.

“If you’re all heading off to do…whatever it is you’re doing, I can finally get some sleep,” Olivia said.

“You’re invited too, Olivia,” Hana replied.

“She is?” Drake asked.

“We couldn’t have unraveled this mystery without her. Olivia, you’re part of the team, like it or not!” Hana said.

“I think it’s clear that I do _not_ …” she said. “Still, I _am_ a bit hungry. I suppose we could head in the same direction…at the same time…to the same place.”

“So, are we all in agreement?” Hana asked. Everyone echoed agreement while Hana leaned in to whisper to Riley…“ _This could also be a chance to mend things between Maxwell and Drake.”_

Riley smiled at Hana’s idea and nodded her agreement…“Looks like we are all in,” she exclaimed.

“Great! You’re going to love every bit of food there,” Hana said.

Everyone followed Hana, except Maxwell, who ran out ahead, not knowing where he was going. Drake tried to convince the girls to leave him behind, but they weren’t going for it. After tracking down a very lost Maxwell, they walked several blocks and arrived at an open-air market where the streets were lined with vendors and lanterns lit the area from overhead. While Riley and Maxwell marveled over the atmosphere, Drake and Olivia both seemed unimpressed.

“You expect me to eat food that’s been prepared on the _street_?” Olivia scoffed.

“What did you expect when we said we were going to an outdoor market?” Riley asked.

“Not this,” she replied. “Though I suppose in times of war and conquest, Nevrakis rulers have eaten in dire conditions.”

Maxwell began to run from vendor to vendor, asking Hana to translate what each one was selling. It didn’t take him long to load up on food, with Hana ordering for him in Mandarin.

“Behold morsel! I am Lord Maxwell of House Beaumont,” he proclaimed to his first dish. “Prepare to be crushed by my mighty mandible mastication!”

While Maxwell ate, Drake wandered around the booths, overwhelmed by all the choices.

“Um…what do I pick?” he asked Hana.

“I’m sure there’s a grease stain in one of the kitchens. That’s more your taste,” Olivia interjected.

“Funny,” Drake growled, clearly not amused.

“I try my best.”

“Drake, I thought you’d like street food,” Riley said.

“Don’t get me wrong, I do. At least it isn’t some stuffy formal gathering.”

“Is this what Drake being happy looks like?” Olivia asked.

“Eh…it’s a start. Now _this_ , plus whiskey, and you’ve pretty much nailed it,” Riley replied.

“Ha ha, ‘let’s gang up on Drake’, you guys are hilarious,” Drake huffed.

“Hey guys, check this out!” Maxwell hollered from a few feet away.

Everyone turned to see him balancing his now empty bowl on his nose. As it started to teeter, he weaved back and forth, trying to maintain the balance. Unable to see where he was going, Maxwell stumbled toward a stand with large, boiling soup pots. Riley tried calling out to him to no avail. Thankfully, Drake reached out and grabbed him, pulling him back before he fell into the scalding pot. The bowl fell to the ground with a clatter, but Maxwell stayed on his feet and doubled over with laughter.

“Gotcha!”

Drake stood scowling at Maxwell who was trying to catch his breath. “What the hell are you talking about Beaumont?”

“I knew you still cared.” 

Drake rolled his eyes. “I should have let you fall in.”

“His foolishness would have made for pungent seasoning,” Olivia quipped.

“I object to that statement,” Maxwell exclaimed.

“I don’t know, she’s got a good point,” Drake snickered.

“Holy shit, Drake just agreed with Olivia,” Riley laughed. “Alert the press, hell has frozen over.”

“I…I…” Drake stammered.

“Don’t deny it, we all heard you.”

“This is a strange day. Let’s not talk about it.”

“Agreed,” Olivia retorted.

“I’m glad my antics can still bring people together,” Maxwell said.

With the soup burn crisis averted, Maxwell and Hana went off in search of more food. Hana agreed to help him pick something out on the condition that he not attempt any more balancing acts on his nose.

“I don’t know how you put up with him,” Olivia said, watching them walk away.

“It takes a lot of effort sometimes,” Drake said. “Not too different from putting up with you.”

“Oh my god!” Riley exclaimed. “Would you two just knock it the hell off already! You…” she said pointing at Drake, “are too hard on Maxwell _and_ Olivia. And you,” she cried, turning to Olivia, “why the hell did you come with us if you find us so hard to tolerate?”

For a moment, they each almost looked ashamed. Olivia looked down, frowning until she finally met Riley’s gaze. “Playing such a minor role here has made me realize…just how much I miss antagonizing people at court,” a wicked grin now playing on her lips.

“Impressive acting skills. You almost had me for a second there. I thought you were going to say something real. You know, it wouldn’t kill you to just admit that you _want_ to be friends with us.”

“Oh, but it would…I would choke on the words,” Olivia spat.

“So is tormenting us all you dream of doing?”

“I also dream of destroying my enemies.”

“Charming,” Drake retorted.

“You have to dream of something less destructive…what about flowers and dresses? Or flowers on dresses?”

“Repulsive!”

“Do you ever dream of anything _good_?”

“Ugh…fine…it it will put an end to your pestering, then…yes. In my dreams, Liam and I ride through the fields crushing our enemies like horsemen of the apocalypse.”

“So…same as your other dream but…add Liam and that makes it good? I mean, I guess that’s a start. Maybe you’re a romantic at heart.”

“Yuck, let’s move on,” she groaned as Maxwell and Hana rejoined the group. Maxwell was carrying a small basket filled to the brim with dumplings that he handed to Drake.

“Hey Drake, I got this for you. It’s called xiao long bao. Hana said it’s great and I trust that food recommendations are another one of her talents.”

“Oh…ah…thanks,” Drake said, hesitantly taking the basket.

“I got some for you too, Riley,” Hana said.

“Thanks, Hana.” Riley took the basket and regarded the dumplings carefully, lifting it to her nose to take a sniff. “No seafood inside, right?”

“No, I promise you’ll like it.”

Riley took a cautious bite, savoring the flavor as warm spicy soup spilled out of the dumpling. Drake had already dug into his basket and seemed to be enjoying every bite without uttering a word. Maxwell lingered by his side, watching him expectantly.

“Can we talk?”

“I supposed I have time while I eat this,” Drake said nonchalantly.

“I never fully apologized for everything that’s happened. I wish I could’ve told you about Savannah. I should have figured something out.”

“Maxwell knew where Drake’s sister was this whole time?” Olivia blurted out before Drake could respond. “This day just keeps getting better.”

“Olivia! Hush!” Riley chided.

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt this Shakespearean tragedy right in front of me…I wonder if anyone gets stabbed.”

“You don’t know the whole story. You shouldn’t take pleasure in other people’s troubles…none of us took pleasure in yours.”

“Of course _you_ wouldn’t be entertained…I’m sure the fireworks when Walker first found out were a bigger spectacle.”

“You’re impossible,” Riley muttered, walking away from her.

Drake set down his basket of food and turned to face Maxwell but the scowl on his face was gone. “Listen, Maxwell…you have apologized and I just wasn’t willing to listen. I’m the one who should be apologizing for getting out of hand at the bachelor party. I saw Bertrand and all I could think about was my sister crying.”

“Yeah, that was bad.”

“I still don’t understand why you defend him. I know he’s your brother, but still…”

“People only see glimpses of Bertrand, but I know what he’s going through. It’s not something I can share, even with Riley, but he’s sincere in that it’s for House Beaumont.”

“That phrase will be the death of him,” Drake said solemnly.

“That’s what I’m afraid of too.”

Maxwell sighed as if a weight had been lifted off of him. An awkward silence fell between the two men as they avoided each other’s gaze and played with their food.

“Hey, Maxwell…thanks.”

Maxwell looked up in surprise to see Drake still staring down at his dumplings. “For what?”

“For looking out for my sister. I should have done more to make her feel like she could trust me…but I’m glad she had you.”

“I don’t know if I deserve any thanks. I kept her hidden from you.”

“Because she asked you to,” Drake said, finally looking up and meeting Maxwell’s eyes. “You were supporting and protecting a friend. You had to make some tough choices. Even I’m not sure what I would have done in your place but…someone very wise pointed out that I probably would have done the same thing in your shoes.” Drake snuck a glance at Riley who was smiling as she watched them. “At least someone good was there for Sav when I couldn’t be.”

A soft smile played on Maxwell lips. “Anything for my friends.”

“You’re unlike any noble I’ve ever met. Or any person for that matter. But, I’m glad to call you my friend,” Drake said, extending a hand to Maxwell.

“No handshakes!” Riley shouted. “You guys should hug it out!”

“That’s not really neces…” Before Drake could finish, Maxwell stood and pulled Drake into a big bear hug. “Alright, we’re hugging this one out” Drake relented.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re a good hugger?”

“Alright…moment over, we’re done here.”

Drake pulled away and he and Maxwell happily turned their attention back to their food while the girls looked on. Riley and Hana looked pleased that their plan had worked but Olivia looked nauseated.

“This is disgusting!”

“What the hell are you talking about? You haven’t even eaten anything?” Riley scowled at her.

“Not the food! This…this, display of affection. No yelling, no screaming, no stabbing! What a disappointment! Is anyone else ready to go, because I am ready to go!”

“It is getting late,” Hana said.

“But I just got more food,” Drake protested.

“Speed eating!” Maxwell began shoving as much as he could fit into his mouth, wolfing down his dumplings in seconds.

“Wow! That must be some kind of world record,” Riley exclaimed.

“I’ll be waiting up the street…away from this nonsense.” Olivia rolled her eyes and shook her head, stalking off back in the direction of the hotel. Maxwell ran after her with Hana not far behind. Drake continued to linger, working on his food and Riley opted to stay with him.

“Looks like you’re enjoying your meal.”

“Mmmhmmm,” he muttered with his mouth full.

“You know you’ve got a bit of sauce on your face, right?”

Drake swallowed hard and reached for a napkin. “I do…where?”

“Right…” Riley leaned over and kissed his cheek, right near the corner of his lips. “…there.”

Drake reached up and rubbed his check, trying to hide his blushing and fight a smile. “Thanks, Nevin. What would I do with out you?”

“Spend less time blushing, probably.”

“Who’s blushing? I’m not blushing.”

“It’s okay…it’s cute.” Riley smiled at the silly grin playing on Drake’s lips. “And…there it is again.”

“I don’t know whether to love it or hate it when you call me ‘cute’,” he laughed.

“I vote for love it.”

“And we both know you always get your way.”

“Hmmm…most of the time.”

Drake placed his empty basket in the return bin and turned back to Riley. They began slowly strolling in the direction their friends had gone moments before.

“Should we try to catch up?” Drake asked.

“How about we not? I was hoping for a moment with just you.” Riley stopped and grabbed Drake’s hand, breaking his momentum and pulling him back to stand in front of her. “Maxwell was right, you know?”

“About what?”

“You are a good hugger. It’s ahh…it’s been a rough day…I could really use one of those hugs right about now.”

Without hesitation, Drake pulled her into a warm embrace. Riley stood with her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and felt all the stress of the day melting away. It felt as if all the lights and sounds of the market around them faded away and for a moment, she could forget. Forget that Constantine confessed, forget that they still had to find Tariq, forget that she had to be honest with Liam. There, in that moment, it was silence, it was peace, just the two of them in the comfort of each other’s arms.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his chest.

“Anything for you, Nevin.”

He gently kissed the top of her head and then they walked back hand in hand until they were about a block from the hotel. When they reached the lobby, Maxwell and Hana were waiting. They said their goodnights and headed off to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Olivia gets to have a reaction at the restaurant when she finds out why Riley is talking to Constantine. Riley for her part knows the reaction is valid but is thankful Olivia doesn't join her for the confrontation because she knows Olivia would not be able to keep a cool head. I made quite a few changes to the dialogue at the hospital since A) my head canon has the scandal involving a lot more than just the pics of Tariq so therefore Riley's backstory needs to be addressed and B) I wanted there to be more than just a passing mention of how Constantine hurt Olivia too.


	19. Friction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley gets a surprise visit and gift from Liam. Bastien joins the investigation and is instructed to work with Maxwell. The court attends a tea ceremony hosted by Hana's parents and Hana gets into a confrontation with her dad. Riley decides to actually take Liam up on his invitation at the end of the ceremony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance, this is mostly canon and feels like a filler chapter but I promise we get back to the action next week.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_You can't fight the friction_ _, So ease it off  
Can't take the pressure, So ease it off  
Don't tell me to be strong, Ease it off  
You can't fight the friction, So ease it off  
  
_

Morning arrived with the usual knocking at the door waking Riley up. “Ugh…Maxwell…give me a break.” Riley rolled out of bed and padded to the door, stretching to pull the sleep from her body before she opened it.

“Hello, Riley. May I come in?”

Riley’s eyes went wide at the sight of Liam standing expectantly in the hallway.

“Liam? What are you doing here? It’s so early.”

“I apologize if I woke you. May I still come in?”

“Oh…yes…yes, of course.”

Riley stepped aside to allow Liam to enter. Before closing the door, she nervously checked the hallway to see if anyone had seen him. Even though Constantine had backed off, it would still be inappropriate for the King to be in the room of a woman that wasn’t his fiancé.

“So, what’s up? Is your dad okay?”

Liam stood awkwardly at the foot of the bed while Riley took a seat on the edge. She gestured for him to sit but he began pacing instead.

“I…”

Liam was interrupted by another, sharper knock on the door to Riley’s room. Riley got up from the bed while Liam stepped out of view of the door.

“ _That’s_ probably Maxwell. Give me a second.”

Riley opened to door to find yet another visitor that _wasn’t_ Maxwell. She became unnerved at the sight of Bastien standing in the hallway. It was the first time she had seen him since the bachelor party.

“Good morning, Lady Riley.”

“Bastien?”

At Riley’s exclamation, Liam stepped into view and placed himself between Riley and Bastien.

“What do you want?” he demanded.

“Lady Riley. Your Majesty. I didn’t expect to find you both here, but perhaps it’s for the best.”

“I guess I can expect to hear people talking about Liam being in my room now. Just fucking great…what are you doing here?”

“Lady Riley, I don’t partake in courtly gossip. I am here because after your conversation with him last night, the King Father ordered me to help you find Tariq. I came to share what I’ve learned.”

“Correct me if I am wrong Bastien, but I believe your orders come from me now, not my father. With everything that you’ve done, how do we know you’re not here to hurt Riley?”

Bastien’s usually stoic face was overcome with a forlorn expression. “Your Majesty, I have nothing against Lady Riley. What I did, I did under orders from my king. And now, you are correct…you are my king sir. In this case, I assumed that you and the King Father were aligned but if you ask me to leave, I will, without question.”

Liam turned and looked at Riley for confirmation before turning back to Bastien. “I’ll hear you out if Riley will.”

“I’m not sure how I can believe a damn word out of your mouth but I want to hear what you know. Don’t think all is forgiven…you hurt me and people I care about with your betrayal.”

“I don’t expect or deserve your forgiveness, Lady Riley. I’m only here to set things right however I can.”

Liam reluctantly stepped aside and allowed Bastien to enter the room. Fulfilling his guard duty, Bastien did a cursory security check of the room and once he pronounced it clear, he stood at attention with his shoulders squared and his hands clasped behind his back.

“Here is what I know. After King Liam’s father ordered me to arrange the photographs of you and Tariq, I didn’t keep much of an eye on him. Once the photos went public and he left Cordonia, I assumed he went to his family estate, but…”

“If he were there, we would have found him by now.”

“Correct. I confirmed last night that Tariq did not return home. It appears he spent some time traveling at first. Germany, Morocco, the Bahamas…”

“Lovely…he gets to travel the world while I get to be the court whore…go on…”

“As far as I can determine, the last flight he booked was a one-way trip to Los Angeles.”

“To California? Why the hell would he go there? Is he American?”

“No,” Liam replied. “He’d probably be offended that you asked…though he did used to say the L.A. lifestyle intrigued him.”

“Considering how stuck up and snooty he is, I can see that. L.A.’s a huge city, though. It won’t be easy to find him.”

“The logical place to start would be looking for known associates he has there. Family or friends.” Bastien explained.

“I don’t believe he has family in that area. And as for the other part. I say this without judgement, but Tariq is the sort of person who has more wool coats than friends.”

“Wait…that’s it! The coats.”

“I’m not sure I follow, Riley…how will coats help?”

“Think about it. Tariq is disgraced, ashamed and he’s hiding in a foreign country. I bet he’s doing the retail therapy of his life right now. And knowing Tariq…”

“…There are only a few designer stores he’d be willing to set foot in,” Liam finished.

“Interesting. It’s as good a lead as any. I can compile a list of any stores that would meet his fashion requirements and myself and a select few guards can begin contacting them.”

Liam looked at Riley with a smile as a thought came to him. “Wait, wait. You may be a professional, Bastien, but when it comes to calling up clothing stores, we know a true expert.”

Riley knew exactly what he was thinking by the look in his eye. “Maxwell!”

“The one and only. He might not throw his prestige around the way Bertrand does, but he knows how to get people talking.”

“Maxwell’s always been a bit underrated.”

“ _Maxwell Beaumont?_ Handle a delicate investigation? Sir…I must insist…”

Liam and Riley stared him down; both remained unflinching.

“Good lord. You’re serious.”

“Who do you think helped me figure out you were behind the photos?”

“Maxwell has also helped Tariq pick out suits in the past. He knows exactly which stores to contact.”

Bastien returned to his stoic expression, resolved to his orders. “If you recommend him, very well. I’ll enlist Maxwell’s expertise.”

“In the meantime, Riley and I are expected at a tea ceremony today.”

“Part two of Hana’s family’s whirlwind tour? So glad I’m always well informed,” she scoffed.

“Yes, well, it should be quite the afternoon.”

“I’ll leave you two to prepare, then. Your Majesty. Lady Riley.” Bastien bowed to his king and turned to leave the room. When he opened the door, he nearly walked straight into Maxwell.

“Hey guys! I didn’t know we were having a party. Wait…who invited _Bastien_?”

“You’ll be coming with me, Lord Beaumont. We have business to discuss.”

Maxwell turned to Riley with a panicked, questioning look.

“It’s okay, Maxwell…this time his orders are to work _with_ us.”

“Ooh, a double agent! Nice work turning him, Riley!”

“Well, he’s not exactly…”

“I’ll explain while we walk.” Bastien took Maxwell by the arm and pulled him into the hall, closing the door behind them.

Liam resumed his pacing as if the last few minutes hadn’t happened. “I’m glad to have Bastien’s help, but he interrupted us before I could show you the reason for my visit.”

“So this wasn’t some kind of emergency? Is your dad okay?”

Liam finally stopped and took Riley’s hands. “No, there’s no emergency. He was resting the last time I saw him. I just wanted to see you…and give you this.” Liam pulled a long, red-velvet box from the pocket of his suit jacket. When he opened the lid, there was a gleaming, double-strand pearl bracelet on a black cushion.

“Liam…it’s gorgeous, but…”

“And it will look even more so on you, Riley.”

Riley pulled her hand from his grasp and turned toward the window, staring out into the vast ocean. “Liam, I can’t accept that.”

“It comes with no strings, Riley. It is a token of my affection. I know you’re not making me any promises, but I want you to have it.”

“Liam…you don’t understand…”

“Riley, please…let me do this.” Liam walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around her, taking her wrist and clasping on the bracelet. “No expectations, Riley…I promise. Just keep it close and allow it to be a reminder of what you mean to me…what you will always mean to me, no matter what.”

Tears streamed down Riley’s face that Liam could not see, her heart breaking at the thought of hurting him. She looked down at the gorgeous bracelet on her wrist and though it was delicate it felt like a weight. 

“Unfortunately, due to Bastien’s unexpected visit, I am out of time…I am sure this will look spectacular with whatever you wear today but it will pale in comparison to your beauty.” He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. “I’ll see you at the tea.”

“Thank you, Liam,” she whispered without turning around. Riley felt cold once the warmth of his body was gone and she heard the door click as he left the room but still she could not move. She wanted to be mad at Bastien for cutting into their time to talk, but she also knew that she wasn’t sure if she had the words yet. Maybe she would never have the right words. From her nightstand, Riley heard a text alert on her phone. Opening her messages, she found a text from Hana asking her to come down to the boutique. In the bathroom, she splashed cold water on her face to hide the fact that she had been crying before heading downstairs.

Hana was waiting in the boutique by a rack that held a single garment bag. “You got down here fast.”

“Fashion calls…I take it you picked a dress for me to wear to the tea ceremony.”

“No…better. Thanks to my parents’ fashion lessons, I know a few local designers. One of them helped me make a dress for you for today.”

“You _made_ me a dress?”

“When I heard the court was coming to Shanghai, I wanted you to have something special to wear here. I couldn’t find a shop that sold the exact dress I had in mind, so I thought it’d be easier to design it. It’ll need to be fitted, of course, but…” Hana opened the garment bag and presented a red lace, Asian inspired dress. The neckline was high and the bodice had intricate, oriental style patterns, with a fitted skirt that would hit her just below the knee. “What do you think?”

“Hana, it’s amazing. I can’t believe you designed this for me!”

“Oh, it was nothing. Like I said, I had help.”

“You’re idea of ‘nothing’ is most people’s idea of a masterpiece.”

“I’m just relieve you like it.”

“What about your dress? Did you design that too?”

Hana wore a qipao, a traditional Chinese fitted gown. It was made of black silk with intricate black and silver embroidery, a high neck trimmed in red and gold and featured a high slit in the full-length skirt.

“I made this one ages ago. I wasn’t sure it’d still be in style, but I guess it’s a good thing fashion comes and goes in cycles.”

“Hana, that dress is _beautiful_!”

“You really think so?”

“I do…” she replied as she stepped into the fitting room and began changing. “And now I’ve decided you should forget being a tour guide. This is your calling, you are even better than Lancelin St. Claire.”

“The designer we saw in Paris? But…he’s been a headlining designer at multiple fashion weeks!”

“That must make you pretty good then, huh? I still can’t believe you made a dress for me.” Riley stepped out and did a twirl.

“Well, it looks perfect! I actually don’t think we need to make any adjustments to it.”

“Of course you don’t, you know my size to a T at this point.”

“All you need is some shoes and you’re good to go! With the high neckline you don’t need a necklace and this...” Hana said, reaching for Riley’s wrist, “...looks stunning with the dress. Where did you get this? I’ve never seen you wear it before.”

“Oh...umm, Liam came by my room this morning and gave it to me. I...I tried to tell him I couldn’t accept it...” Tears welled in Riley’s eyes and she quickly turned away, trying to fight them but not surprisingly, Hana had noticed.

“Oh, Riley! Do you want to talk about it?”

Riley just shook her head and reached for a tissue from the box on a nearby table. “Nothing to say that hasn’t already been said and I’ve been spending to much time lately blubbering. Besides, we have a tea ceremony to get to.”

“You don’t have to be strong in front of me, Riley.”

Riley spun around, her eyes now dry and her face resolute. “Yes...yes, I do. I have to be strong, period. I have to get myself under control...I’ve lived through shit far worse, I won’t let this be what breaks me.”

“Riley, this hurts because of what you’ve lived through...this hurts because you’re tired of being hurt. Everyone has a breaking point and it’s okay to admit when you’ve reached it.”

“Well, this isn’t mine.”

Hana simply nodded and gave Riley a hug. After a quick stop in Riley’s room for a pair of heels, they departed for the tea ceremony. Riley was thankful that Hana hadn’t pushed her to talk. Instead, they discussed how worried Hana was about her dad attending the event with the entire court. After he met everyone at the reserve the day before, he had started applying more pressure regarding a suitor. Neville and Rashad would both be at the tea, and while she was sure her dad would think of either as a suitable match, Hana wasn’t interested in them and didn’t know to tell her dad that. Riley reassured her that with all Hana had mastered and overcome, she was sure she’d find a way to handle her parents. It wasn’t lost on Riley that the same could be said for her situation and she found herself wondering why she couldn’t take her own advice. By the time they reached the gardens, with Riley in her corner Hana was feeling much more confident.

The gardens were like a small sanctuary in the middle of the modern, bustling city. An open-air tea house sat in the middle of carefully tended and well-manicured trees and flowers. Extra tables surrounded the tea house to accommodate the entire court. Riley was entranced by the beauty but before they could even settle in, Hana’s dad was greeting them, joined by Neville and Rashad. Mr. Lee was emphatically waving for Hana to sit with them and she quickly excused herself to oblige. Riley stood looking after her when she heard someone dramatically clear their throat behind her. Whirling around she found herself face-to-face with Madeline, Liam and Adelaide.

“Lady Riley, you are blocking the entrance!”

“I believe what Madeline meant was, it’s a pleasure to see you Lady Riley,” Liam interjected. Slowly his eyes wandered over Riley, drinking her in. “That dress looks...that is, it has a marvelous design.”

Madeline managed a thin smile and placed a possessive hand on Liam’s arm. Beside her, Adelaide chuckled at the scene unfolding before her.

“Oh, my daughter always says exactly what she means to say.”

“Pardon me.” Riley offered a polite curtsy and her trained smile. “Liam, Adelaide...it’s nice to see you both.”

Madeline was clearly offended by the slight; if looks could kill, Riley would be dead and gone. Without a word, she brushed past Riley while Liam fought to suppress a laugh. Adelaide chuckled and winked at Riley before hurrying off after her daughter. With a polite bow, Liam followed suit and joined Madeline and her mother at a table inside the tea house. Riley made her way further into the garden where the tables for the court were set up to find a seat.

“Nevin, over here!”

Turning in the direction of his voice, Riley found Drake waving her over to a table just on the edge of the tea house.

“I thought I’d be drinking tea alone,” he said as she slid into the seat next to him. Riley just smiled at him, finally feeling an infinitesimal amount of peace from his presence but it didn’t last long.

“Sadly for all of us, that’s not the case,” they heard from above them, breaking them from their moment. Looking up they found Olivia smirking down at them. She took the seat across from Drake just as the staff began bringing around trays of tea cups and pots to each table.

From where they were seated, Riley had a clear view into the tea house. Hana was seated with her father and her two noble suitors, not far from the Royal family’s table. Drake on the other hand was scowling at Olivia.

“Did Madeline send you to sit with us exiles?” he spat.

“Not as such, but there was only one other table available.” Olivia nodded across the path to where Penelope and Kiara were seated. They could hear Penelope blathering on about the pretty tea pots and outfits she had made for her poodles. “Your company seemed...marginally preferable.”

“Well, if there are no assigned seats, I guess we can’t kick you out.”

“Oh, you could try, Riley, but I have a feeling only one of us is trained in hand to hand combat.”

“Is that a threat?” Drake hissed.

“Only if you find facts threatening.”

Before they could argue any further, a server approached the table. She began carefully placing tea leaves in the tea pot and then filled it with steaming hot water. After a moment, she carefully drained the first infusion into a pitcher, filled the pot again and poured the contents of the pitcher over its lid.

“Nooo!!! Not my tea!”

Riley looked up to see Maxwell running over and waving frantically at the server. “Relax, Maxwell. It’s part of the service.”

“Oh, good. I thought my tea privileges were being revoked.”

“Not unless you’ve committed high crimes against tea that you haven’t told us about.”

“I wouldn’t hurt a leaf! Except by drinking it.”

“Where on earth have you been?” Drake asked.

“Looking into Tariq’s whereabouts. Bastien got intel that he is somewhere in Los Angeles, hiding deep undercover.”

“That figures,” Drake said, turning to Riley. “He’s off living it up in Hollywood while you’re here cleaning up his mess.”

“Well…hopefully we track him down sooner rather than later. Riley had the brilliant idea of using his shopping habits to narrow our search so I’ve been working with Bastien and calling any menswear store whose price tags start at three figures. Time difference is making it a challenge but I left a bunch of voicemails. I told every store that if they don’t call me back as soon as they’re open, they’ll face the wrath of House Beaumont’s lawyers. I think Bertrand would be impressed.”

“We have lawyers now?”

“The stores that I called think we do!”

“How are you holding up, Nevin? Now that we’re finally getting to the bottom of this whole mess?”

“I have moments of weakness but…I just want Tariq to face what he did to me.”

“After everything he’s put you through, he deserves whatever’s coming to him.”

“People say vengeance is a dish best served cold,” Olivia said, “but trust me, Riley, it’s a delicacy at any temperature.”

Maxwell turned in his seat and looked at Olivia in awe. “How can you be so scary but so cool at the same time?”

“It’s a gift.”

“Or a curse,” Drake retorted.

With the second infusion of the tea complete, the server poured a cup for each of them. Maxwell grabbed his cup eagerly and blew on the hot liquid before taking a sip. “Wow. I thought top-shelf wine had layers, but this tea’s undertones have undertones.”

Drake followed suit, first sniffing his tea and then taking a tentative sip. “Huh. Strong stuff.”

“Is that a compliment?” Riley asked.

“You’ve got to respect a drink that doesn’t pull its flavor punches.”

“I think it’s delightfully full bodied,” Riley declared after tasting hers.

“I’m surprised you like anything that didn’t come out of a little mesh bag,” Olivia scoffed.

“Tea bags aren’t half bad and they’re convenient but, when I drank tea back home it was usually loose tea that I bought at this adorable little place in Soho.”

“I’ll take a proper cup of tea like this any day.”

“Then it sounds like we’re going to need more.”

Maxwell raised his cup over his head trying to flag down the server. “Another!” he shouted.

“If you break that, we’ll have to pay for it.” Maxwell looked at Riley sheepishly and slowly set his tea cup back on the table. Drake leaned across the table, setting his cup in front of Maxwell. “Here. You can finish mine.”

“You’re a true friend, buddy.”

“Don’t call me buddy.”

“You’re a true friend…friend?”

“My name is Drake.”

“Awww…look at you two. Getting a long like old times.” Riley playful pat Drake’s leg under the table trying to get him to smile.

“Yeah, yeah. No need to make a big thing of it.”

“Are you sure? I’m feeling a group hug coming on…” Maxwell said.

“There will be no hugging at this table” Olivia hissed.

“For once, I agree with Olivia.”

Maxwell held his hands up defensively. “Okay…okay, maybe later.”

Riley had still been sneaking glances into the tea house and noticed Neville and Rashad getting up from Hana’s table. It worried Riley that Hana’s expression was not a pleasant one and she wanted to make sure her friend was okay. “I better go check on Hana.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes and looked back and forth between Maxwell and Drake as Riley stood up. “I will keep an eye on these two while you’re gone.”

“Who died and left you in charge?” Drake exclaimed.

“I didn’t vote for this,” Maxwell added.

“Behave you two! I expect everyone to be in one piece when I get back.”

Riley made her way into the tea house, brushing passed Liam who was standing with a gathered group of nobles. At the royal table, Madeline sat looking mortified while Adelaide tried to get a server to bring her champagne instead of tea. When the server walked away, Madeline chided her mother for her inappropriate public behavior. Riley couldn’t help but laugh to her self as Madeline stormed off from the table to join Liam.

Though she wasn’t entirely sure why, something made Riley want to talk to Adelaide. Maybe she felt bad for her, maybe it was because she couldn’t imagine how anyone could take their mother for granted after losing her own…whatever it was though stopped her in her tracks at the table where Adelaide now sat alone.

“Hi Adelaide. How are you enjoying the tea ceremony?”

“I think it’s pretty obvious that I am _not_ enjoying it, Lady Riley.”

“I’m sorry…that Madeline is a handful, isn’t she?” Riley fought the urge to clap her hand over her mouth, knowing that she shouldn’t have said it…but it was too late now.

“It wouldn’t be proper for me to comment. But since _you_ said it…” Riley noticed a mischievous twinkle in Adelaide’s eye and couldn’t tell if Madeline’s mother was about to agree with her or lay into her. Adelaide sighed. “She always was a serious girl. The closer she gets to the throne, the more serious she gets.”

“Have things always been this, err…fraught between you two?”

“Yes and no. Let’s just say we have different feelings on what Madeline’s new station means. To her, it’s all meetings and policy. I say what’s the point of being engaged to a king if you can’t drink wine from all four corners of the world?” Adelaide rested her chin in her hand and let out another weary sigh. “I appreciate your concern, Riley, but I think I’d like to be alone right now.”

“I can certainly appreciate that. Enjoy the rest of your tea.”

“Thank you,” she replied looking sadly into her cup.

Riley turned to resume checking on Hana when she heard Maxwell whispering her name from a neighboring table.

“ _Riley! Pssst!_ ”

“Maxwell…is everything okay?”

“I decided to jump ship when Olivia declared the table Nevrakis territory. Drake might still be trying to stage a coup…anyway, I saw you talking to Adelaide. Good work! Bertrand would be proud.”

“Really? I was just being polite. What’s so important about her?”

“Adelaide might act flaky, but she’s still the Queen Mother’s cousin. She’s had a lot of sway in Cordonia even before Madeline and Liam’s engagement came along. It wouldn’t hurt to be on her good side.”

“Well, with the way Madeline treats her, I bet she has plenty of room in her life for friends.”

“Oh, speaking of friends…” Maxwell’s expression looked worried as he pointed over Riley’s shoulder. She turned back in the direction she had been heading and saw Hana and Xinghai in the middle of a quiet but clearly heated argument. “I bet she could use some back up.”

“I was already headed there, I’m on it.” Riley finished making her way to their table and could hear parts of their conversation as she approached. Xinghai was berating Hana for letting Neville and Rashad walk away without going with them. Hana was attempting to make her father see reason, arguing it was the right thing to do since there were others the men wanted to talk to. Riley was taken by surprise when Xinghai informed Hana that Neville had asked for formal permission to court her. While Xinghai insisted again that Hana follow Neville, Riley cleared her throat and stepped into the fray.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Lee, Hana. Am I interrupting?”

“As a matter of fact…”

“Riley! Please, join us.” Hana looked relieved by the interruption and company while it was clear Mr. Lee didn’t approve.

“Thank you both for inviting everyone to tea.”

“Of course. I told my father we couldn’t let everyone leave Shanghai without visiting this place.”

“The ceremony was lovely.”

“It always is, but it would be better if you made use of it, Hana,” Xinghai interjected. “All those lessons in small talk over tea service were for a reason.”

“Father, I’ve been talking to Neville for the past ten minutes.”

“And why stop there? You have a proper suitor! This is everything we’ve been working for.”

“In all honesty, Mr. Lee…Neville is kind of pretentious. After ten minutes of hearing about his estate, I’d need a break too.”

“That’s no excuse. We’ve trained you to endure far duller conversations, Hana.”

“I remember. ‘The Art of Appearing Attentive’.”

“Your mother and I gave you all the tools we could to help you find a good marriage. But you must _use_ them, Hana!”

“Father, I…” Hana looked to Riley for support, anxiously biting her lower lip. “…I’m not interested in Neville.”

Xinghai could do nothing more but stare at Hana in stunned silence.

“Father, even if I tried to court Neville, even if he proposed to me…I would never want to marry him.”

“What are you saying? Why on earth would you turn him down?”

“He might be successful and wealthy, but he’s pretentious and selfish and…and _boring_. I don’t care about him, Father. He doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Romance is all well and good to dream of, but this is your future we’re talking about. You can’t throw it away over sentimentality!”

“Mr. Lee, if I may…I know you mean well, but you and Hana want different things for her future.”

Xinghai turned to Riley angrily. “I want what’s best for her. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I agree…there is nothing wrong with that. But clearly you and Hana have different idea about what that means. You’ve done all you could to prepare her but she is a grown woman now and this is her life. It should be her choice to make.” Riley was thankful her filter seemed to be in full working order at the moment. While everything in her wanted to just say ‘ _butt out_ ’, she felt that she had been much more polite in making her point. But unfortunately, Mr. Lee didn’t agree.

“After yesterday, I expected better from you. I thought you understood the value of your position here at court, and of Hana’s. But it seems I was wrong. You’ve clearly been a negative influence. Someone with such misguided priorities doesn’t belong at this court. Or with my daughter.”

Riley’s anger flared. Under the table she clinched her fists trying to maintain control, trying to choose her words carefully to fight back. “You…”

“Dad, that’s _enough_!” Riley froze and looked over at Hana. She had never heard Hana really get angry or raise her voice before. Xinghai seemed just as surprised. Hana held her hands tightly in her lap, trying to control the shaking and remain strong. “You have no right to say those things to Riley. You don’t know what its been like at court, but she’s been there with me through everything. The competition, the touring, the endless pressure to impress the royal family…and all the pressure from you. Riley’s the most remarkable person I’ve ever met, and I…I won’t let you talk that way to my best friend.”

“Hana…” Xinghai continued to gap at her, mouth open but no words coming out. Hana rose from her seat and looked down at her father.

“If there’s one thing that Riley’s taught me, it’s that sometimes you have to find your own way in life. No matter how hard or scary it can be. I’m not having this conversation with you anymore. This is my life, and I need to decide what kind of future I want. Who _I_ want to be. You don’t get a say anymore and I…I need some space for a while. Please don’t try to follow me.”

Xinghai stood and reached for Hana’s hands but she pulled away. “Hana…you don’t know what you’re saying. I knew I should have brought you home and…”

“It’s not up to you anymore, Father. Goodbye.”

Hana turned and left the table. Xinghai opened his mouth to call after her and was again lost for words, but he made no move to follow her. Riley stood and rushed from the table after Hana without saying a word to Mr. Lee. She caught up with her just outside the tea house.

“Hana…are you…do you want company?”

“Thank you, Riley. But I think I’d like to be alone right now. I have a lot to think about.”

“Okay, you know where to find me if you need me.”

Hana continued on her way, past a group of nobles and into the garden surrounding the tea house. Riley made her way back to her own table and slumped back down in her seat next to Drake. Drake, Maxwell and Olivia were all looking at her expectantly.

“That could have gone better” she sighed.

“What happened, Nevin? We saw Hana leave.”

“She and her father got into a fight. She stood up to him and she actually told him she wasn’t interested in Neville. I think me being there helped her have the courage but…I am definitely her father’s _least_ favorite person at the moment. He umm…he ripped into me pretty good. Not gonna lie, it hurt and I almost lost my temper.”

“Well, good for her. It’s about time she told her parents to lay off. And you can’t let him get to you…you don’t need his approval.”

“Hmmm…Interesting. Hana Lee discovered a backbone” Olivia scoffed.

All around them, guests began rising from their tables and servers worked to clear the tea trays away. Riley watched with interest as members of the court gathered in the gardens and formed a line to where King Liam was waiting at the front. “Where’s everyone going?”

Maxwell turned in his seat and took in the scene. “I think we’re just supposed to pay our respects to King Liam as we leave.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Leave it to the court to turn saying goodbye into a ceremony.”

They all rose from their table and joined the line. It was slow moving but the scenery of the garden made it pleasant. As they neared the end, they crossed a small white bridge over a stream that ran through the garden. Finally, they reached the King. Maxwell, Drake and Olivia kept their goodbyes short and Riley stepped up as Liam smiled down at her.

“Lady Riley. It’s always a delight to see you again. I’m afraid I must keep this brief. I have several dozen more hands to shake and guests to thank. But, before we part ways, there was one thing I hoped to share with you. There is a lake on the west side of the city which I’ve heard is extremely romantic and I’d love to show you. I know you have been reluctant to meet with me, but I hope you will think about my invitation.” With a bow, Liam said farewell and moved on to the next guest.

Riley continued across the bridge to the waiting cars where she found Maxwell waiting for her. “I’m on my way back to the hotel if you want to share a limo.”

“Thanks, Max. I actually have to go somewhere else first, but I’ll meet you back there later.”

“Does this have anything to do with why Liam is rushing the last few nobles along back there?”

“Yes, but…it’s not what you think and I…I don’t think it will be what he’s hoping for either.”

“Oh, Riley” Maxwell said, throwing an arm around her. “What are you going to say?”

“I don’t know…I’m hoping it just comes to me in the moment because every time I try to find the right words, I just…can’t.”

“Good luck, Blossom. Find me when you get back if you need me.”

Maxwell waved goodbye and slid into his waiting limo while Riley grabbed another available limo to head to the lake.


	20. Water Under the Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley meets Liam for a boat ride in Shanghai and they have an open and honest discussion. Riley enjoys a night of girly fun with Hana before waking up to Maxwell bearing a message that serves to anger her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter because of how I am splitting things but I am so excited to post it because it is where I really flipped the script on canon. I think most fans of TRR, regardless of their chosen love interest, can't believe that there is no chance to talk to Liam before he get's down on one knee, so, as fan fiction allows us to do, I changed it. I think this is still very true to my MC and very true to Liam as a character. I hope you like it.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_If you’re gonna let me down, let me down gently_   
_Don’t pretend that you don’t want me_   
_Our Love ain’t water under the bridge_

Riley settled into the limo feeling very ill at ease, but thankful that the driver seemed familiar with the location since Liam hadn’t given her much to go on. When they pulled up, somehow Liam had managed to arrive first and was waiting on a dock next to a small motor boat. At the sound of the car door he turned and caught sight of Riley, breaking into a huge smile.

“Lady Riley. You came!”

“Good evening Liam.” Riley curtsied and offered him a gentle smile. “I’ve been hoping we’d get a chance to talk so yes, I decided to accept your invitation.”

“May I offer you a hand?” Liam stepped into the boat and reached out to help Riley in. Pulling the ropes from the dock, Liam started the engine and moved the boat out into the lake. Daylight was slowly fading away and a light mist was rising over the water.

“It’s beautiful out here.” Riley was looking out over the water, taking in the sight of the lush trees, the setting sun and the last glints of light reflecting off the water.

“It is. Yet somehow, my gaze can’t help lingering on you.”

At the sound of his voice, she turned to Liam. He had slowed the boat to a crawl and his eyes were locked on her. The affection and desire in his gaze were obvious as Riley felt her heart starting to beat a little faster. “Shouldn’t you be keeping your eyes on the water?” she asked playfully, trying to deflect.

“For the sake of safety, you may be right. However, as I have only so much willpower, perhaps it would be best for you to take the wheel.”

“Um…no, no way. I’ve only driven a boat a few times, I wouldn’t feel comfortable.”

“If I know one thing about you, Riley, it’s that you are capable of anything. And I am right here if you need help.”

Riley reluctantly moved into the driver’s seat, trying not to grip the steering wheel too tight. Gently pushing the throttle, they picked up speed and the boat bounced over the wake of a passing sailboat, sending spray washing over them. Riley jumped from the shock of the cool water. Liam’s hand came over top of her’s on the wheel.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes…yes, I’ve got this.” Riley again eased the throttle forward, picking up more speed and gaining confidence as she went. Out in the open waters, she maneuvered the boat in a tight circle while she screamed out with glee and created a significant wake of her own behind them. With less and less boat traffic on the water, she opted to slow down and allow them to drift for a while.

“I had a feeling that a ride with you would be an adventure,” Liam said.

“I like to keep people on their toes,” Riley laughed, moving back to the passenger seat as Liam resumed driving duties. With all sunlight now gone, stars twinkled overhead. Riley was trying hard not to focus on how romantic the setting was and turned the conversation in a different direction.

“So…if you’re out here with me, I presume your father is doing well?”

“As well as can be expected. He was in good spirits earlier when I saw him.”

“And you? How are you doing with everything?”

“I still can’t quite comprehend what he did. How much he hid from me. I’ve always looked up to him, tried to emulate him but now I wonder…is he really the role model I held him up to be?”

“I don’t agree with what he did but I am sure that he still possesses some qualities worth of admiring. It seems his people believed him to be a good King.”

“My father was a good king because he put Cordonia first, even above his own son. That is not a choice I could make, so I may never be so good a king, but I hope to be a better man.”

“Liam, you already are a better man. You’re thoughtful and dutiful and you care so deeply for people.”

“I…thank you, Riley. I think I needed to hear that today. I am going to be glad to put this all behind us. We just have to find Tariq and that should be easy compared to everything we’ve overcome so far. And then…”

Liam trailed off, his gaze locked on Riley. Before she could react, his hands were delicately cupping her face and he pulled her into a deep lingering kiss. Riley felt an internal struggle. The kiss was warm and comforting, the parts of her soul that felt weak wanted to melt into it to feel peace. But in her minds eye, she saw Drake’s face and remembered the passion and longing between them, the safety in his arms, the peace she had already found when she was with him. A moment later, she pushed Liam away.

“Riley, I…I am so sorry. I’ve missed you so much and we’re out here alone and it…I don’t know what came over me.” She had never seen the King so flustered.

“Liam…it’s fine…I mean, its not _fine_ but, calm down. You don’t have to freak out over it.”

“It’s just…I’ve been wanting to do that since the moment you returned. It has taken all of my willpower to last this long. I wanted to bring you out here tonight because I needed this…I needed _you_. And I guess, I was hoping with the end so near…”

“Liam, nothing has changed. You’re still an engaged man and I’m…I’m still not sure what I want.”

“You want time…and we’ll have it soon. When this is all over, we can be together, out in the open and get to know one another better. We can travel back to Italy or Paris or here, together and spend our days learning everything there is to know about each other. Riley…I know you’re not there yet, but I already know I love you…I just long for the day that I can _show_ you.” Liam leaned in and captured her lips in another soft, delicate kiss, careful not to linger or pressure her, he pulled away quickly. When he drew back and cupped her face, he saw the tears forming in her eyes. “What’s wrong, love?”

“Everything, Liam…everything is wrong.”

“No…no, love, we are fixing it. We get closer to fixing it each day.”

“I wish it were just as simple as clearing my name but, it’s not, Liam; there’s more.”

“What is it, then? I am here for you, Riley.”

“I know you are and…and that’s part of why this is so hard. We never really talked about the articles…we talked about Tariq but, not the rest. There’s so much I need to say.”

“Everyone has a past, Riley. My life was very sheltered but even I have my fair share of things from my youth that I’d rather forget. I can’t begin to imagine the things that you’ve been through just on the little that was reported but I do know that you owe me no explanation.”

“My past was hard, and it sucks to have to relive but…that’s not what I am referring to either.”

A look of confusion crossed Liam’s face. He tried to meet her eyes but she was avoiding him and looking down. “But…the rest was…it was more allegations regarding your time in Cordonia, all lies. I know that, there was no scandal with Tariq, no other lovers…”

At that, Riley looked up, forlorn and almost guilty. “Riley, no…no, what are you saying?” he asked, pain flickering just below the surface of his gaze.

Riley sighed. “There were no lovers Liam…no one ‘warming my bed’ but…I…I did develop feelings for someone else.”

Liam let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. To Riley, it almost looked like he was practicing her grounding technique, trying to compose himself and remain in control. Moments of uncomfortable silence passed before he finally spoke. “Feelings? Are you in love with someone else?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“You _DON’T KNOW_?” His voice was booming and echoed on the silent lake and he immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry…I…I shouldn’t have yelled, it’s just…you don’t know?” he asked again.

“No. I’m being honest with you, Liam. I don’t know what I feel…I just know that I feel it, strongly. I’m not telling you to hurt you. You deserve to know.”

“And do you feel _anything_ for me?”

“Yes.” It wasn’t a lie…she had felt something for both men from almost the minute she met them. “You know I came here because of what I felt in New York, but I told you…it was all clouded by the competition.”

“Then don’t give up on us.”

“It’s not that easy, Liam. You want to marry for love…you deserve that, you deserve someone that can give you their whole heart and I…I can’t.”

“Who is it?” Liam asked softly.

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Does he return your feelings?”

Riley shrugged. “I don’t know…I mean, yes…I think so but…it’s complicated.” Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’ve made a mess of everything. I should have told you the minute I started questioning things.”

“And when was that?”

“I, umm…I felt torn for weeks pretty early on but, it had more to do with life at court in general. I didn’t grow up in this world. The more I was ‘trained’, the more I resented it…I don’t _fit_ here because I can’t just be me. I guess though, it was at the Regatta that with my doubts and acknowledging my feelings, I started thinking about withdrawing. I didn’t think it was fair to you for me to stay.”

“Why didn’t you tell me _any_ of this? Why did you stay?”

“Part of me was holding onto that connection I felt in New York and…part me felt pressured by the Beaumont’s to save their house. I guess I wanted to believe that our connection could still grow and that I could help them. I wanted to tell you, I swear I did, but we never had more than a few minutes alone together and honestly…I just didn’t know _what_ to say…I still don’t. How do you explain something to someone when you don’t even understand it yourself? I’m sorry…I’m sorry for hurting you. It was never my intention and I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me.”

Liam looked away for a moment, lost in thought, gazing out over the calm waters. Lights from the city bounced off the gentle ripples of the lake but otherwise, the world around them felt still and silent. Riley looked down at her feet, unable to bear looking at him. After what felt like an eternity yet no time at all, Liam reached out and gently held her chin, drawing her up to look into his eyes.

“I don’t hate you…I could never hate you. I have meant it every time that I have told you I love you. I know there is so much more to know about you but what I know already is enough to know that I love you…I’m not ready to give up on that.” Liam gently brushed his thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tears that continued to fall. “You want time, and you have it…to sort through your feelings about both me and being queen, and your feelings for this other man. Take that time Riley, use it and decide what _you_ want, and I’ll be waiting…because what I want, is you.”

Liam pulled Riley into his lap and held her in his arms. “How do you do that?” she whispered into his chest.

“Do what?”

“How are you so… _good_? You’re understanding and forgiving and even though you have to mask your emotions as king, you aren’t faking those things, you’re genuine. How do you do it?”

“I’m not always like that, Riley but, for you…you’re easy to love. All I want for you is happiness, no matter where you decide that lies at the end of all this.”

Riley pulled back and looked into his eyes, gentle and full of affection. “Do you mean that?”

“I do. I would never want to deny you happiness. You deserve the world.”

Riley stayed in his arms for a few moments more. It was still mind-boggling that he had been so supportive and understanding, and at the same time, it felt like it almost would be easier if he had just gotten angry at her. At long last, Liam kissed the top of Riley’s head and she rose from his lap. As she slipped back into the passenger seat, Liam started the boat’s engine.

“We should be getting back.”

“I’m sorry I ruined the evening.”

“You didn’t ruin anything. You needed this…we both did. You…um…you were right, we didn’t have the opportunity during the social season to discuss anything of substance. As difficult as some of this was, I am glad we used tonight to truly talk.”

“Thank you, Liam.”

Liam slowly and carefully drove the boat back to the dock. After tying the boat up, Liam helped Riley out and walked her to her limo. They shared one final embrace before she slipped inside and he closed the door.

Riley watched the city zip by in a blur as the limo deftly made its way through the city streets. When she arrived back to the hotel she went directly to her room, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. As she was getting ready for bed, however, there was a soft knock on her door. Riley opened the door to find Hana standing in the hallway.

“Hey, Riley.”

“Hana, this is a pleasant surprise.” Knowing her friend needed her, Riley put her own troubled thoughts aside and invited her friend inside.

“I’m sorry if I’m disturbing you.”

“You are doing no such thing. What’s up?”

“I…I don’t want to go home after how I left things with my father. I got a room here but I couldn’t sleep. So…I was thinking maybe we could both use a girl’s night. Things are tough for both of us right now.”

“Hana, that sounds perfect. What did you have in mind?”

“Well…my first thought was actually based on your encounter with Adelaide today. I heard her complaining about not being able to get a good bottle of champagne. Since you’re trying to make allies at court, I thought maybe we could go get her one, as a gift. There’s a European-style restaurant nearby that has an excellent selection. And maybe we could get some dinner.”

“That sounds like the perfect start to a girl’s night. Just let me change.”

Riley threw on a pair of faux leather leggings, a long white blouse and her favorite black stilettos and they made their way down to the lobby to grab a limo. A little while later they arrived at the restaurant. They fell into easy conversation; discussing Hana’s fight with her father and her trepidation about the future. It was comforting when Riley reminded her that regardless of what the future held, at least it would be her own. Talk turned to the next step on the engagement tour, New York! Riley thankfully had advanced notice this time and was looking forward to going home. It also felt good to finally be on the ‘teaching’ side of her relationship with Hana as she told her about all the American customs and how wonderful New York was. Hana was enthralled while Riley described the city as intoxicating, a magical land of possibility and hope. When they were finished with dinner, they ordered the finest bottle of champagne that the restaurant had and headed back to the hotel. Riley invited Hana to spend the night in her room. With the champagne safely stored in the mini-fridge, they both changed into comfortable clothes and kicked off a slumber party. They built a pillow fort with a perfect view of the tv and settled in to watch a romcom. Before long, they had both fallen asleep with the movie still playing in the background.

The next morning, Hana got to experience a certified ‘Maxwell wake-up call’ as the sound of knocking woke them from sleep and an all too cheery Maxwell stood in the hall.

“ _Gooooood morning_!” he sang when Riley opened the door. Riley pulled Maxwell into a big hug. “What was that for?”

“I’m just glad you’re you.”

“Surprisingly, that’s not something I hear very often.”

In the fort behind them, Hana yawned, stretching the sleep from her body and crawled out of the fort. “Morning, Maxwell.”

“What? You had a sleepover without me? I’ve been saving up all my best ghost stories. I’ve got like five sleepover playlists.”

“It was kind of an impromptu thing, Hana couldn’t sleep.”

“Next time, I promise we’ll let you know.”

“Promise?”

“On my honor as, umm…as an honorary Beaumont.”

“Good enough.”

“So are you just here to wake me up or is something going on?”

“Oh, right.”

“Any update on Tariq?”

“No leads yet. Turns out there are way more high-end menswear stores than I expected in Los Angeles. But in the meantime, the court is headed to New York City!”

“I know! Home, here I come.”

“Your first stop will be doing some…shopping.”

“Why do I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop?”

“Weeeeell…You have to go pick up Madeline’s wedding ring.”

“What the fuck?”

“She specifically requested _you_.”

“That bitch!”


	21. I Like Me Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Court arrives in New York and Riley embarks on her errand for Madeline which leads to a wonderful afternoon with Drake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changes here are minor and made to align with the change I made in the previous chapter where Riley told Liam about her feelings. Riley talks to both Maxwell and Drake about the conversation she had with Liam. This one is a little on the longer side.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_To be young and in love in New York City  
To not know who I am but still know that I’m good long as you’re here with me  
To be drunk and in love in New York City  
Midnight into morning coffee, burning through the hours talking  
  
_

Riley was once again stuck on a flight with Maxwell and Justin. To maintain her sanity and hopefully help with the jetlag, she spent most of the flight in the sleeping quarters or curled up in her own seat that was quite comfortable when reclined. Flying from Shanghai to New York was a rather odd experience. It was a 15-hour flight but since they were crossing so many time zones it was like time had stood still. They left Shanghai at 10:30 AM on Saturday and arrived in New York at 1:30 PM on Saturday…but by that time it was already Sunday where they had just come from. Half an hour after landing, Maxwell was carrying her bags, escorting her and Fletcher to her room at the Plaza Hotel. In her five years in New York, Riley had only ever walked past the fancy Manhattan hotel. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d be staying there. Eagerly opening the door to her suite, she was too tired to even appreciate the décor. Despite hours of sleep on the plane, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed again.

Maxwell entered behind her and set her bags on the plush bench at the foot of the bed. “How does it feel to be back?”

“Surreal…I mean, it’s been six months and this isn’t exactly my crappy walk-up studio in Brooklyn so it almost doesn’t feel real. But I can feel the energy of the city all around me…that feels like home.”

“Home? Does that mean….”

“Max, don’t read into it…I still don’t know what will happen when this is all over.”

“But you had a talk with Liam? You got back so late and then we were on the plane and you were quiet or sleeping…we didn’t talk, what happened?”

“I ahhh…well, I…I told him a _version_ of the truth I guess you could say.”

“Would that version happen to include that you and my best friend roomie are falling madly in love?”

“Maxwell!” Riley reached out and playfully smacked Maxwell’s arm. “No one is falling in love.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Blossom.”

“Anyway…moving on…” Riley plopped down on the edge of the bed and kicked off her shoes and Maxwell took a seat beside her. “I told him that I had developed strong feelings for someone else and that I had thought about withdrawing from the social season because of it.”

“Okay…so now he knows and you can both move forward. After all this is done, he doesn’t _have_ to stay engaged to Madeline so at least he can take the time to find someone.”

Riley shook her head. “Not that simple, Max.”

“Why not?”

“Because when I told him about my feelings for someone else, he asked if I felt _anything_ for him…and I said yes…because I do, or I did, or…Christ, I don’t know. I’ve had _moments_ even in the last few weeks where I’ve felt this pull to him. It’s very different from what I feel for Drake, and when I think of Drake the moment passes but to say I feel _nothing_ would be a lie. So, Liam took that as a cause for hope and after we find Tariq and I’m not dealing with that anymore, he wants me to take the time to decide what _I_ want.”

“Do you really need more time? I mean, I know I’m just the goofy, dance-master, peacock loving, best friend side-kick here but, what you want has been pretty obvious to me for weeks and honestly I should have seen it sooner.”

“All I know is that no matter what I do…someone gets hurt, so maybe more time, to be absolutely sure, isn’t the worst idea.”

“Ok, whatever you need, Ri, I’m here and I’ve got your back.” Riley leaned over and gave Maxwell a big hug before moving to settle into her bed. “No sleeping yet, Blossom. You have a job to do…are you ready to go get Madeline’s wedding ring?”

Riley sat up, slapping the bed in frustration. “I still can’t believe she asked _me_ to do it. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand?”

Maxwell pulled out his cellphone, opening his voicemail and pressed play. Madeline’s voice filled the room.

“ _Maxwell, I have an absolutely vital task for Lady Riley to complete. As I will be busy with preparations for the wedding shower, I will simply have no time to go and pick up my wedding band before our return to Cordonia. I must insist she be the one to do it, as thanks to me for allowing her to remain present on this tour and in Liam’s life. I trust you will pass along the message.”_

“Unfortunately, I think she made it pretty clear.”

“Ugh…I don’t have time for this crap and why the fuck do I owe her any thanks…Regina and Liam are the reason I’m here. I should be helping with the investigation, not running personal errands for the wicked witch of the west.”

“I know…I get it, but you kind of have to and you’d better do it today. There won’t be time after tonight’s UN party, and the wedding shower is tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? I thought we were here for four days, why the hell are they cramming everything into two?”

“Liam has meetings, but the end is coming up quickly. It’s the wedding shower and then back to Cordonia for the Homecoming Ball and the wedding.”

“ _If_ there is a wedding…assuming we find Tariq which I really thought we would’ve done by now.”

“Hey, don’t worry. Rest assured that while you’re ring shopping, Bastien and I will be hot on Tariq’s trail. Being in the US makes it easier to call all the clothing stores in LA to track him down. We’ll find him, we’ll clear your name and things will be…whatever you decide you want them to be. I’ve got this, trust me.”

“You know I trust you, Max. Besides, you are uniquely qualified for the job.”

“Really? No one’s called me qualified for anything before! Unique, sure. But never qualified. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.” Riley got up off the bed and opened her bag to retrieve her change of clothes. “Ok…let the cruel and unusual punishment commence, where do I need to go to pick up the Ice Queen’s ring?”

“Oh, right. The directions.” Maxwell dug into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, handing it to Riley. Riley unfurled and smoothed the paper but instead of an address or directions, she found a drawing of Maxwell, riding King Kong who was saddled like a horse, on top of the Empire State Building.

“…Am I supposed to know what this means?” She found herself unable to control her laughter as Maxwell snatched the paper back and turned bright red.

“Can we just, err…not talk about that?”

“Not a chance. We’re _definitely_ circling back to that. Preferably sometime when Drake’s around.”

“You wouldn’t…”

“Oh, but I would,” she laughed.

“You’re a crafty one, you know that?” Maxwell reached into his pocket again, pulling out another piece of paper, this time it contained two addresses. “The first address is the jewelry store. The other is for a high-end boutique. Justin made an appointment there to dress you for the U.N. party tonight. Meet us there after you get Madeline’s ring.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Maxwell extended his hand toward Riley with his palm down. Riley raised a questioning eyebrow, unsure of what he wanted her to do. He reached out and took her hand, placing it on top of his.

“Team…break” he yelled, throwing their hands in the air.

“You’re a piece of work, Maxwell Beaumont.”

“But you love it…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…see you at the boutique.”

Maxwell left to head to his own room and Riley changed before heading out for the ring. Not surprisingly, the address she was given was on 5th Avenue. She was surprised, however, after the short walk when she arrived at a small independent jeweler instead of Harry Winston or Tiffany.

Riley walked into the high-end store and was immediately greeted by a security guard at the door. All the walls were lined with mahogany and glass display cases which were brightly lit to show off the gleaming jewelry inside. Assuming that all she’d have to do was give Madeline’s name for the pick up, she looked around for an available salesperson. A handful of customers seemed to have each staff member tied up, so Riley began to wander when she noticed a man with his back to her, wearing a familiar denim shirt. “Drake?”

Drake spun around at the sound of his name and seemed surprised to see her. “Oh, hey, Nevin.”

“What are you doing here?”

“It’s a store. Anyone can go into a store.”

“Sure…I just meant…out of all the stores in New York, it’s odd to find you in this one. I didn’t take you for the type to be looking at necklaces that require a down payment.”

Drake glanced nervously around the store before looking back at Riley. “Alright, you caught me. I know the royal family uses this jeweler and I’m looking for a wedding gift for Liam.”

“You want to get him jewelry?”

“What? You don’t think he’d want one of those?”

Riley stepped up to the case next to Drake where he was pointing to a gold medallion covered in so many gems that the gold was barely visible. “Ummm…no. That medallion is…well…Liam isn’t a pirate.”

“Too much?”

“Not if you’re also getting him a galleon and a parrot and an eye patch…”

“I can barely afford the medallion.”

“Then, yeah, it’s a bit much. Liam wouldn’t want you to break the bank.”

“Hmm…back to the drawing board.” Drake moved on to the next case that held diamond cuff links and designer watches. Riley stayed close by, looking over his shoulder as he browsed. “So…did you just come in here to shoot down my gift ideas, or are you looking for something?”

“Considering I didn’t even know you were here, I think that answer is fairly obvious. I’m here to ahh…I’m supposed to pick up Madeline’s wedding ring.”

Drake stopped and looked at her in shock. “Wow. That’s cold, even for her.”

“Whatever” Riley shrugged. “She thinks she’s rubbing it in my face but honestly…the only reason it bothers me is because I can’t _stand_ her.” Riley glanced around and noticed that one of the salesmen was free. “Be right back.”

Walking up to the counter, she gave the man Madeline’s name and he hurried off, returning a moment later with a small box. Drake came up beside Riley as she opened the box to reveal a delicate gold band with a row of tiny channel set diamonds running all the way around it.

“That’s it?” Drake asked. “I was expecting something more…”

“Elaborate?”

“I was going to say pretentious.”

“Yeah…I’m a little surprised myself but I think it’s lovely. Simple, yet elegant. It’s hard to find anything redeeming about Madeline, but I’ve got to hand it to her in one regard, she’s always stylish.”

“Shouldn’t it be covered in…I don’t know…more diamonds?”

“You’re thinking of engagement rings. Those are usually the sparkly ones. Like these…” Riley took Drake by the hand and pulled him over to a case filled with diamond engagement rings.

“Right.” Drake looked down at the engagement rings and the wedding band in the still open box in Riley’s hand, his expression somber. “I guess their wedding’s coming up pretty fast.”

“Yeah” Riley shrugged.

“We’ll find Tariq soon, Nevin. We have to.”

“And if we do…what will that mean…for us?”

Drake looked away, unable to meet Riley’s eyes. “It’ll be good news for you and Liam. You’ve had to live with this hanging over you for long enough.”

“That’s not what I asked, Drake. Once I my name is cleared…I can be with whoever I want.”

“I…I guess that depends on what you want, then, Nevin.” Drake ran his hands through his hair, looking back down at the rings one last time before glancing around the store. “If, ahh, you’re done here…do you want to give me a hand with Liam’s gift?”

“Smooth subject change, Walker.”

“Just staying focused…he’s my best friend. I want to get him something good, but I think I’m in over my head here.”

“So, Drake Walker is inviting me on a _shopping trip_?”

“Don’t make me regret it.”

“What I meant is, I would be honored to accompany you.”

Riley closed the ring box and placed it safely in her tote bag as Drake grabbed her hand and led her to the door. They made their way off 5th Avenue to some of the stores in the surrounding area. Drake’s first choice was a pet store. Once inside he was immediately drawn to a yellow Labrador puppy that was jumping with excitement and wagging its tail. Riley shook her head, trying to deter him.

“Come on, Nevin. Liam has always loved dogs.”

“Do you really want to make a puppy live with _Madeline_?”

Drake gave the puppy one last scratch behind its ear and slowly stood up from the pen. “You’re safer here, pal.”

After leaving the pet store, they continued down the block and Drake eagerly headed into the furniture store. They browsed through the displays of couches and tables, finally coming upon an assortment of chairs. Drake sat down in a black, overstuffed, leather recliner. “This is it, Nevin. A deluxe recliner, dual cup holders, over fifty massage settings…”

“Really? I’m sure Liam owns plenty of chairs.”

“You’ve clearly never sat on the Cordonian throne. Let’s just say Liam’s gonna need back support after sitting on that thing.”

“I’m not even gonna ask how you know that…and I think we can do better than a dad’s dream chair.”

Drake reluctantly stood up from the chair with a sigh. Riley eyed him curiously, “unless _you_ want it, that is.”

“Nah, I’m not shipping that thing back to Cordonia.”

“Okay…where to next?”

“I’ve got another idea…” Drake grabbed Riley’s hand again, pulling her back out onto the street and right into the next store.

“A hardware store? Seriously?”

Drake made a beeline for the power tools and stared wistfully at a plasma cutter. Riley stood back, shaking her head and chuckling to herself. “What would you even use that for? What would Liam use that for?”

“Engraving…medals? Come on, it’s a tool. Every guy appreciates a handy power tool…”

“Drake, it’s adorable how bad you are at this.”

Drake smiled. “I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment.”

“I’m just glad I was here to witness this.”

“That makes one of us.”

“Come on. You look like you need a break.”

Riley led Drake back out onto the street and found an available bench. The city bustled all around them as they slumped into their seats, exhausted. Drake rested his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands. “Trying to find a present for this wedding is like torture.”

“I take it you’re not a fan of the usual wedding traditions.”

Drake ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, finally looking up at her. “I’ve got nothing against tradition. But there are nice simple ceremonies, and then there are international engagement tours.”

“So what would your ‘simple’ wedding look like?”

Drake looked at her thoughtfully. “Should I ask why you’re asking?”

“Let’s just say I’m curious.”

“I guess it’d be something small. A short ceremony and simple reception, just a few friends and family…”

“Luckily, you only _have_ a few friends and family.”

“Ha ha, Nevin.”

“You know I love teasing you. So…let me guess, your ring bearer would be…Bartie.”

Drake closed his eyes like he was picturing it. “Huh. I hadn’t really thought about it, but you know…that’d be great.”

“Imagine him in a tiny suit.” Riley smiled at the thought.

“Yeah, Savannah would be over the moon.”

“And, what about best man? Best friend roomie or best friend King?”

Drake groaned causing Riley to laugh. “Well, it’s your choice but I vote for Liam. I bet he’d throw you the perfect bachelor party. Barbecue and stiff drinks galore. And he’d be good at speeches…he’d never embarrass you.”

“Hmmm…Liam is a strong contender.”

“That just leaves one question…who are you marrying in this scenario?” 

Drake looked longingly at Riley and then back down at the ground.

“Me?” she asked. Drake looked up again. Riley noticed a slight blush to his cheeks as he fought a smile. “I…Are you proposing to me, Nevin?”

“Trust me, if I were, you’d know it.”

“Then maybe that’s a question for another time.”

“You just can’t stop deflecting.” Riley took Drake’s hand and looked deep into his eyes. “It’s okay to daydream…you shouldn’t hold back from saying what you want.”

Drake stroked the back of her hand with his thumb and kissed her forehead. “Enough daydreaming for now. I still need a present for Liam.” Sitting back on the bench, he sighed. “Liam has always been there for me, and…well, you know him. He always gives the perfect gifts.”

“It’s like his superpower.”

“I just wanted to return the favor for once. But I’m stumped.”

“Relax, Drake. You just need to remember the secret to finding a good present.”

“And that is…?”

“Think outside the box, find something with meaning. Forget puppies and tools and furniture. What’s something you can get him that’s really unforgettable?”

“I don’t know wh…” Drake stopped mid-thought as his gaze landed on something metallic in the window of a nearby antique store. “Wait. I’ve got it.” He jumped up from the bench, faster than Riley could react and ducked into the store. Just as Riley reached the door to follow him, he came back out grinning from ear to ear. “ _This_ is what I’m giving Liam.” Opening his hand, he revealed a bronze antique compass.

“It’s beautiful, but…why a compass? Are you afraid he’ll get lost in the wilds of Cordonia.”

“No…it was what you said; you said something with meaning…he’s always had guards and royal staff around but they can’t always be there for him. Even I can’t always be there for him. If he’s ever out on his own, or if he ever just feels like he’s losing his way, I thought it might be a nice reminder. Constantine was a decent king for years, but by the time he retired, he’d lost sight of what really mattered. Look at everything he put you and Liam through. I don’t ever want that to happen to Liam. So I thought he could use a compass to follow. Something to remind him to stay true to what he believes in. What do you think? Too cheesy?”

“I think…you are better at this then I gave you credit for. That is literally the perfect gift and _you_ , Drake Walker, are an adorably thoughtful guy under that gruff exterior.”

“I’m just trying to look out for Liam.”

“I know, Drake. That’s what people who care about their friends do. Liam will love it.”

“I hope so.” Drake carefully tucked the compass into his pocket. “Thank god that’s over with.”

“Now we just have to get through this UN party.”

“It’s not until tonight. Why don’t we unwind for a bit? We just endured an eternity of shopping. I think we earned it.”

“Hmmm…it could be fun to show you around the neighborhood. Sign me up for some relaxation…let’s go.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. What’s our first stop?” Riley looked around, deciding which way to go but before she could reply, an outfit on display in one of the store windows caught her eye. Drake followed her gaze and froze. “No…”

“Oh. My. God.” She grabbed Drake by the hand and began dragging him toward the store. “I promise I’ll get you a drink after we try one more store.”

“That is _not_ happening.”

“All you have to do is try it on. _Pleeeaassseee!_ ” They reached the door of the shop and she looked up at him with the biggest puppy dog eyes.

Drake just stared back, trying his hardest not to crack but he finally just shook his head. “The things I do for your amusement.”

Riley threw open the door and made a beeline for the sales person. Drake stayed off to the side as Riley gestured wildly toward the window display and the racks in the store. As they talked, the salesperson was eyeing Drake. She stepped away and returned with a stack of clothes that she handed to Riley. A moment later, Riley was shoving the clothes into Drake’s hands and pushed him into the dressing room. After a few minutes, Drake emerged in gray distressed wash jeans, a burgundy Henley that clung to every muscle of his chest and arms, a leather cuff and a pair of aviator sunglasses. Riley’s hand instantly went to her mouth, half in shock, half checking for drool.

“Drake, you have never looked hotter.”

“You…you like this kind of thing?”

“In a word…YES. I mean, look at you…what’s not to like? It’s a…very flattering.”

Drake stretched experimentally and may have even flexed a little for good measure. He looked down at the Henley shirt…“It’s…comfy. I’ll give it that.” Drake looked over at Riley who was still ogling him with a cheesy grin on her face. “I’ll buy this getup if you make good on that drink you promised me.”

“Deal. I know just the spot.” After making his purchase, Riley led Drake through the maze-like streets of New York, pointing out different landmarks and telling him interesting facts along the way. It was a nice relaxing walk and despite the crowds, Drake seemed to be enjoying himself. Several blocks later, they came to a stop at a familiar door. Riley took Drake’s hand and led him inside; her old bar, where they met…where it all began.

“Hey, I remember this place.”

“I should hope so. I haven’t been back here since that night…god, I am so glad I don’t work here anymore.”

“You mean you don’t miss serving burgers and beers to rowdy customers for stingy tips?”

“Not one bit. I think I worked here because it was in my comfort zone…I didn’t know what I’d do if I _didn’t_ work here. But, hey…at least I met you, Maxwell and Liam and you led me to Cordonia. That’s probably the best tip I ever got.”

Standing at the host stand, Riley looked around the mostly empty establishment. It was well passed the lunch rush and too early for the dinner rush. At this time of day, it wasn’t uncommon for her and her co-workers to hang out in the kitchen. As if on cue, the kitchen door swung open and young man in a server’s uniform emerged, trying to stifle a yawn, and approached the host stand.

“Good afternoon. Are you two looking for a tab…” The young man finally looked up and a look of recognition crossed his face. “Oh my god, Riley?”

“Daniel!” Riley threw her arms around her old friend pulling him into a hug as Drake stood scowling. Noticing the look on Drake’s face, Daniel cautiously stepped back from the hug.

“What the heck happened to you? You just up and left!”

“It’s a long story…”

“You could’ve called! Or texted!”

“My cell phone coverage has been kind of limited in Cordonia…”

“You should probably switch plans,” Drake interjected.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay. You look like you’re doing good.” Daniel turned to Drake and extended his hand. “I’m Daniel.”

“Daniel, this is Drake…my hot date for the evening.” Drake’s jaw dropped as he just looked at Riley in awe and Daniel smiled at Riley.

“You always did have good taste.”

“We’re not…I mean, I would…Nevermind” Drake said.

“Please follow me to the most romantic spot in the house!”

Daniel led them to a half-moon booth along the back wall. It was identical to all the others, nothing particularly romantic about it other than a heart someone had carved into the table. As he was placing the menus down for them, the kitchen door flung open with a bang, and Joe stepped out behind the bar.

“Daniel, what are you doing out there? I’ve got a sink full of dirty dishes that aren’t going to wash themselves.”

“Same old Joe,” Riley muttered.

“We’ve got customers, boss! Look who just stopped by.”

Joe walked closer to the table, wiping his hands on his apron. The expression on his face was clearly one of annoyance as he at squinted at the table and its patrons until his eyes went wide with recognition. “ _You!_ I hope you’re not here looking to collect a paycheck. You walked out on me with only a day’s notice! On a _Saturday_!”

Drake pulled his hand from Riley’s under the table and clinched his fists. Riley watched him grit his teeth, scowling at Joe. “Hey, watch your tone. That’s no way to talk to a customer.”

“She used to work for me. I’ll talk to her however I like.”

Drake stood from the table, standing over Joe with a commanding presence…over a full head taller than the man now cowering before him. “ _Used to_! Now you’re messing with a member of the Cordonian royal court…do you really want to do that?”

Joe’s hands began to shake as he clasped them together behind his back to try to maintain his composure. “She’s…what?”

Riley reached out and placed her hand on Drake’s arm. “It’s okay, Drake…I’m sure he wouldn’t insult a noblewoman on purpose. Right?”

“Sorry, miss. Err, madam. Err…milady?”

“Riley’s fine.”

“I, umm…won’t disturb you any further. Enjoy your evening.” Joe turned around and bolted for the kitchen as Drake sat back down.

“Sorry about the boss. I wish I could say he’s having a bad day, but he’s just…like that.” Daniel pulled his check pad from his apron pocket. “Can I get you two something to drink?”

“One whiskey. Neat.”

“Make that two” Riley said.

“Coming right up!” Daniel quickly retrieved the drinks from the bar and dropped them off before heading off to do the dishes.

Riley took a slow sip from her glass, regarding Drake carefully, still sensing his tension. “So…my hero…what happened there? I never thought I’d see you play the noble card.”

“Yeah, well, after everything the court has put you through, I figure you might as well get some use out of it. Courtly privilege is good at keeping jerks away. Unless those jerks are also nobles.”

“I’ll have to remember that loophole.”

Drake looked around the bar thoughtfully. “Heh. The last time we were here I thought you were just another waitress at another bar.”

“I thought you all were my last chance for a Friday night tip.”

Drake raised his glass in a toast, grinning at Riley. “I guess we’ve come a long way.”

“From strangers to...lovers?” she said with a wink.

Drake looked at her, stunned. “But...we haven’t...” He trailed off, swallowing hard.

“No, but we’ve come close and tell me honestly...am I just a friend to you?”

Drake didn’t reply, responding only by clinking his glass to Riley’s and taking a sip to try to hide his smile. “That’s what I thought,” Riley said with a satisfied smile as she took a sip of her drink. When she set her glass down, her expression turned much more serious. “So, umm, since we’re kinda on the subject, there’s uh...something you should know...”

“Why do I get a feeling I’m not gonna like what comes next?” Drake eyed her wearily as she took another sip from her whiskey; her hand seemed to shake involuntarily.

“I talked to Liam.”

“Okay?” Drake raised a questioning eyebrow. “You talk to Liam nearly every day...why do I need to know that?”

“Because I...umm, I told him about my...feelings.”

Drake nearly spit out the sip of whiskey he had just taken. “You what? When?”

“Our last night in Shanghai. He asked me to meet him.” Riley could tell by the look on his face that Drake’s mind was churning with questions. “Don’t freak out, please. I didn’t go into detail. I just told him that I had, um...developed feelings for someone.”

“Why would you do that, Nevin? We agreed, no decisions till your name was cleared.”

“No, you agreed...he deserved to know, Drake. I don’t want him to have to marry Madeline but...I had already told him I couldn’t make him any promises, I just never told him why and I couldn’t go on being dishonest with him.”

“So, what happened? What did he say?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“No.” Drake anxiously waved over Daniel who quickly came and refilled his glass before leaving them alone again. Drake eagerly grabbed the glass and took a shaky sip...”yes...I mean, yes, I do...I think I do.”

“Put it this way...he’s not giving up hope but, he wants me to take time to figure out what I want...he just wants me to be happy.”

“That’s what we all want, Nevin.”

“I know.” Riley leaned her head on Drake’s shoulder and sighed. “Sorry for making things ‘heavy’, let’s talk about something lighter...”

Drake nuzzled his chin into her hair and breathed in the scent of cucumber and green tea that he’d come to love. “So what was it like working here? Your manager almost makes Olivia seem warm and fuzzy.”

“It paid the bills.” Riley shrugged. “I didn’t love it, but if I hadn’t taken this job, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“Right back in the same bar?”

“Touché. But this time I don’t have to serve the drinks. What about you? I’ve never heard any classic Drake work stories.”

“I don’t have a lot of them.”

“Then just give me the highlights. Best and worst jobs you’ve ever had.”

Drake took another drink from his glass while he gave it some thought. “Hmmm...best job was probably the summer I spent working in the royal stables, which you do know about.”

“That I do...I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the mental images of you as a stable hand. It’s like something out of a steamy romance novel. The handsome commoner, with a heart of gold, mucking out the stables at the Royal palace.”

Drake laughed. “My heart is made of...whatever hearts are made of, thank you very much.”

“That’s exactly what the handsome commoner would say.”

“If you say so, Nevin.”

“So, what was your worst job?”

“Oh, that’s easy. The time Maxwell paid me to DJ one of his dance parties.”

“He had to pay you to DJ a party? Isn’t doing it for free like bro code or something?”

“Nevin...come on, a Maxwell party? I sure as hell wasn’t doing that for free. It took me days to get all the glitter off me. And the music out of my head.”

“Too much fun for you to handle?”

Drake looked out over the bar with a haunted expression on his face, shaking his head. “Glitter doesn’t belong in drinks, Nevin. That’s a hill I’m willing to die on.”

Drake knocked back the last of his whiskey and watched quietly as Riley finished the last of hers.

“Do we have time for another one?” she asked.

“Don’t think so, Nevin. We better get going, we have a party to get to.”

Riley waved Daniel over for the bill. Reaching into her bag she grabbed enough cash to cover the bill plus a twenty-dollar tip and left it next to her glass.

“Woah, feeling generous, Nevin?”

“Look around, Drake. It’s hard to earn tips on quiet days like this. He could use the cash.”

“What about him?” Drake nodded in the direction of the kitchen where Joe stood, peeking out the door. When Riley caught his eye, he nervously cleared his throat and ducked back into the kitchen.

“I had the pleasure of telling him to shove it back when I quit. Today, I think I’ll leave him a note that says ‘Thanks for everything’.”

“Seriously?”

“Sometimes the best way to win is to take the high road. Besides, if he had been a decent manager and made this job enjoyable, I probably wouldn’t have left...so in a way, I owe him a thanks.”

“You never cease to amaze me, Nevin.”

Daniel returned to the table as they both reluctantly stood up from the booth. “Are you leaving already?”

“Sorry, Daniel. We’ve got a party to get to.”

“Well, maybe I’ll see you around sometime. Take care of yourself, Riley.”

“You too” Riley said, pulling him into another hug.

Joe peeked his head out of the kitchen again. “Daniel, if you’re done shooting the breeze with our customers, that pile of dishes isn’t getting any cleaner!”

With a sad smile, Daniel headed back to the kitchen. Joe held the door for him with a smug smirk on his face. Headed for the door, Riley paused and yelled over her shoulder, “Hey Joe, go to hell!”

As his smirk turned to a scowl, Riley bust through the door and out into the street, laughing uncontrollably. 

Drake watched her clutching her stomach as she tried to catch her breath and tears of laughter streamed down her face.

“What happened to the high road, Nevin?”

“I changed my mind...he’s an asshole. Did you see the look on his weaselly little face?” Riley bust out in laughter again and it was contagious with Drake joining in. When they had composed themselves, she took his hand and began guiding him back through the streets. “Come on, I know a short cut that will get us back to the hotel in plenty of time.” 

The sun had set while they had been in the bar and now the city was a glow. Two blocks into their walk, Riley turned down a path that ran along the waterfront and lights from the skyline glistened off the ripples in the river.

“You sure this is a short cut?” Drake asked, noticing they seemed to be moving away from the hustle and bustle.

“Short cuts are allowed to be scenic. This was always one of my favorite places to come and get away from it all. My other spot was a little beach cove that I almost took you guys to the night we met.”

“Heh. There’s a lot more to this place than I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“Liam’s bachelor party...I mean, his original one...was my first time to New York City. The movies don’t really do it justice. I mean, it’s big and noisy, but I like that people aren’t afraid to tell you what they really think.”

“It’s all part of the New York charm.”

Drake leaned against the railing, looking out over the water and sighed. “Thanks for taking me out here, Nevin. I really needed a breather.”

Riley stepped up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Of course! Besides, I wanted to show you the most romantic view of the city.”

Drake looked down at her curiously. “This place? Not, I don’t know, the top of the Empire State Building?”

“Sometimes a romantic view isn’t about where you’re standing...it’s about who you’re standing with.”

Drake stepped away from the railing, turning to her and looking down with a soft smile. “Not a bad view.”

Riley moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist as his arms enveloped her. They stood silently as minutes passed, the noises of the city a faint soundtrack playing behind them. Drake was the first to pull away but as he did, he cupped her cheek and brought his lips to hers for a slow, sensual kiss. Riley melted into it, not wanting the moment to end. When they finally parted, Drake pressed his forehead to hers and they both sighed, turning back to the railing.

“Wish we could just stay out here instead of hanging out with a bunch of politicians.”

“Me too. But we do still have a few more minutes before we have to get ready,” she replied with a mischievous smile.

“What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking about kissing you again.”

“Nevin...”

“Is that a no?”

“No, just...I don’t know what the hell you see in a guy like me. But I don’t want to question my luck.”

In an instant, Drake pulled her against him, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was more passionate, more desperate than the first. When they finally parted to take a breath, Drake was smiling.

Riley nuzzled against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his arms. “Anyone would be lucky to be with you, Drake. Honestly, I’m the lucky one...I don’t know what you see in me either.”

Drake stepped back in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes...really,” she whispered.

Drake placed his hands on her arms and looked deep into her eyes. “Nevin, you’re the most fearless person I’ve ever met. You’re determined, smart as hell and you always keep me on my toes. Just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me. And god, are you beautiful. I’d have to be...anyone would have to be a fool not to lo...care about you.”

Riley looked away, hoping he wouldn’t notice the tears forming in her eyes. “So, you just don’t want to look like a fool?”

“I try not to when it comes to you.”

Riley ran her hands through his hair, feeling breathless under his loving gaze. “Thank you...for seeing that in me,” she whispered just before his lips caught hers again, kissing her deeply.

They stayed lost in each other until Drake finally pulled away with a sigh. “As much as I’d love to do this all night, if someone sees us like this, it could complicate things for you, Nevin. I don’t want to get you in another mess when you’re so close to clearing your name. I could never forgive myself if I mess this up for you.” Riley nodded sadly in agreement.

“Once I do that, maybe we won’t have to be so careful. We won’t have to worry about what people think. Unless you’re worried about being with me.”

Drake paced over to the railing again and leaned against it, searching the water as if it held the answers to what he wanted to say. “I guess when this is over, you’ll finally be free to choose, Nevin. And maybe a part of me is scared of that. I can’t even offer you half as much as Liam could. Hell, I don’t even know what I can offer you. But when the time comes, when these pictures aren’t hanging over your head anymore...I’ll still be here.”

Riley stepped up beside him, gently pulling his arm till he was facing her. “You, Drake Walker have so much to offer...you have already given me so much by staying by my side this whole time. But, if you insist on waiting for this to be over, I’ll respect that. So, we’ll talk then?”

“I’d like that. But right now, we’re about to be late for this party. We should be getting back,” he said reluctantly.

“Ok...if we have to.” Riley took his hand and they strolled the rest of the waterfront, back into the busy streets until they reached the Plaza. Riley stopped at the front door, just before they reached the doorman. “So, are you going to be okay in there?”

“After staring at gifts all afternoon, I didn’t think I could make it through another highbrow get-together, but now, I guess some err...time with you was all I needed.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say no to more time alone with you.”

“Maybe another night” he said, trying not to smile.

“You know where to find me,” she replied with a wink.

“I’ll see you at the party, Nevin. I don’t want to risk showing up at the United Nations in...this.”

“You’d a...certainly attract attention” she said, running her hand down his muscular arm. “But changing is probably a good idea. I wouldn’t want your death on my conscience. We both know Madeline would lose it.”

Drake chuckled and placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the doorman.

“Shit...you go ahead...I just remembered I have to go meet Justin and Maxwell at some fancy boutique.” Riley pulled the paper with the address out of her pocket. Drake gave her a quick hug and headed up his room.


	22. Empire State of Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley prepares for and attends the UN Gala. She and Maxwell have a heart to heart and he sets her mind at ease about possibly making a decision that wouldn't benefit House Beaumont. When the Gala is over, Riley and Liam spend time in the city before she returns to the hotel to find out there has been a break in the investigation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most changes are to dialogue for the flow and to better suit MC's personality. 
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Concrete jungle where dreams are made of_ _  
There's nothing you can't do  
Now you're in New York  
These streets will make you feel brand new  
  
_

Thankfully, like her earlier errand, it was another short walk down 5th Avenue and Riley found herself at a high-end boutique brimming with couture gowns. It was the kind of place she’d have never set foot in when she lived in the city and so fancy it even put the palace boutique to shame. Inside she found Justin and Maxwell waiting for her.

Justin stood up off the chaise they were seated on the moment he saw her. “There’s my golden girl. Can’t have you missing tonight’s festivities. You need to bring your A-game.”

“Not gonna lie, I’m finding it really hard to care about this party when we’re so close to finding Tariq but, I know it’s important to make a good impression.”

“Exactly, tonight’s event will be full of influential politicians and diplomats. Impressing them now could be indispensable in the future.”

“Plus,” Maxwell interjected, “not much we can do about Tariq tonight. I still have a few stores to call.”

“Just remember, you have to play the long game. Once you do find Tariq and clear your name, you’ll still be facing an uphill battle where your reputation is concerned if you don’t have allies.”

“Fuck, thanks Justin...way to burst my bubble. Fine...long game, who am I building an alliance with tonight?”

“Duchess Adelaide. She may not look it, but she wields a lot of power.”

“Yeah...so I’ve been told. But it’s not like getting into her good graces gets me into Madeline’s. Madeline barely tolerates her mother.”

“You are correct...they rarely see eye-to-eye, but...unless Madeline actually marries Liam, Adelaide has a higher courtly standing. She is Duchess of Krona, after all.”

Riley looked at Justin, clearly confused. “Krona? Not Fydelia?”

“Fydelia is a county, inside the Duchy of Krona, which places Adelaide higher in the noble hierarchy.”

“Got it, so it’s kind of like cities have mayors, but there’s a governor above them and a president about that.”

“Right, and King Liam would be the president in your scenario.”

Maxwell was sitting on the chaise with his head in his hands until he looked up at Justin in awe. “How do you remember all this stuff?”

“Cordonian Court 101.”

“Hmmm...must have slept through that one,” Maxwell said thoughtfully.

Riley shook her head at Maxwell. “Okay guys...if we’re done with the civics lessons...what am I wearing to do all this impressing?”

Maxwell leapt up from the chaise and rushed over to a rack that was just out of view. “Don’t worry, I already picked something while we were waiting.”

Stepping to the center of the room, he presented a cream-colored ball gown, with a full satin skirt, a lace off the shoulder bodice and long lace sleeves. Around the hanger, hung a double strand pearl necklace to wear with it. Riley took it into the dressing room and not surprisingly, it fit like a glove. When she stepped out, both Maxwell and Justin thought it was perfect for the evening.

Riley turned every which way, taking in her reflection in the three-panel mirror. “Maxwell, you are a master of style.”

“I do what I can. And you are going to slay at the UN party.”

Riley playfully flipped her hair. “Don’t I always?”

“You make a good point.”

Riley picked up her tote bag and tucked her casual clothes inside. “Alright, I’m dressed. Mission accomplished, let’s go.”

Justin held up a hand as she moved toward the door. “You’ll be off without me, I have some other business to attend to.” With a salute, he headed out of the boutique.

Riley turned to Maxwell. “He’s soo...”

“Awesome?”

“I was going to say annoying but...clearly we have differing opinions. What do you suppose he does all day when he’s not advising you?”

“Probably jets around in sports cars and hangs out with models or something.” Riley stared at Maxwell, speechless. “What? I just think he’s cool, okay?”

“Oh, Maxwell...if it wasn’t for the fact that you chose me to sponsor, I’d have to seriously question your judgment. Now, let’s go.”

\--------------------------------------------

Riley and Maxwell made it back to the Plaza with plenty of time. While he ran off to his room to change, Riley went to hers and slipped on the crystal heels she had worn to the Beaumont Bash and, since it matched so nicely, she fastened her pearl bracelet around her wrist. With a final stop at her mini bar for the bottle of champagne she’d purchased for Adelaide, she raced out of her room and down to the grand ballroom.

When she walked into the room, it took her breath away. Living in New York, she had seen plenty of magazines featuring weddings at the Plaza but even the gorgeous pictures couldn’t do it justice. White marble floors seemed to stretch endlessly before her and gleamed under the light of the giant crystal chandelier that hung in the center of the room. All of the tables were set with elegant china and centerpieces of white roses and calla lilies. Even in her gown, she couldn’t help but feel out of place and began searching the room for a familiar face. In a small crowd, close to the bar, she caught sight of Liam speaking to some UN delegates. At that moment, Liam happened to look up and when he saw her, he excused himself. A broad smile took over his face as he approached.

“Riley! You look...absolutely stunning. I’m thrilled to see you made it safely over the Pacific.”

“Safely, though not entirely comfortably” she joked.

“Oh? If there is something I can do to help improve the experience next time, please don’t hesitate to mention it.”

“Can you make Maxwell complain less?”

“Ah. Sadly that is out of my control, but perhaps I can make up for the discomfort by taking you out in the city tonight?”

Riley raised a questioning eyebrow...“Strange request when this happens to be my city.”

“Good point...so, what would we do?”

Riley shuffled anxiously on her feet, unsure if another night with Liam was a good idea after their night in Shanghai. “Let’s play it by ear...we have a long night ahead of us. But I think Times Square would be a good starting spot, if we venture out.”

“It would harken back to the night we met.” Liam had a wistful smile on his face.

“Which if I recall correctly was a pretty good night.”

“You recall incorrectly.”

“What?”

“It was a spectacular night!”

Riley laughed. “I see you’re still an expert at being charming.”

“I try.” Liam moved closer with an intent look in his eyes but before he could speak, a man with an air of importance, wearing several medals on his chest, approached them to speak with the King. “It seems my courtly duties call. If you would like to join me tonight, I’ll wait for you after the party.” Liam took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles and turned to leave with the delegate. Riley resumed scanning the room and thankfully found Drake and Maxwell standing off to the side of all the activity, close to the bar of course. 

She began walking toward them when Maxwell rushed forward, grabbed her hand and pulled her back to where they had been standing. “Riley, thank goodness you’re here!”

“Uh oh...I don’t like that sound of that welcome...what did you do?”

“I got my flags mixed up and thought Finland was Sweden, Sweden was Norway, Norway was Iceland, Iceland was Denmark, and Denmark was Sweden.”

Drake stood to the side, chuckling and shaking his head. “He addressed all the delegations incorrectly, including Sweden, twice.”

“I was guessing by that point. Now they’ve all been arguing for the past fifteen minutes over disputes going back to something called the Kalmar Union...I just wanted to say hello.”

“Oh Maxwell...I’m sure they’ll get over it, I mean, the Kalmar Union was centuries ago...move on already.” Riley’s joke seemed to settle him down some, but he still looked anxiously at the group of arguing delegates across the room while Riley turned to Drake. “How about you Drake? Caused any diplomatic disasters?”

“That would require me actually talking to a diplomat. Do you have any idea how boring they are, Nevin?”

“Let me guess, you’re just here for the food?”

“And the open bar.” Drake leaned in close while Maxwell was still distracted. “And you.”

“I should have guessed.”

“You know me so well. But what are you doing with us? Aren’t you supposed to be doing courtly stuff like winning friends and influencing people?” 

“Actually...” Riley scanned the room again quickly. “I’m supposed to impress Adelaide tonight. Got any hot tips?”

“If I know anything about Adelaide, it’s that she likes stiff drinks...and Maxwell.” 

Maxwell was pulled from his worried trance at the sound of his name. “She’s always making me dance with her! Maybe I could get a break this time.”

Riley reached out to comfortingly pat Maxwell’s shoulder. “I’ll leave you out of it.”

“Well then, Nevin...I’d say focus on her other vices. She’ll certainly respect you if you can go drink-for-drink with her. Show her you know how to have a good time.” 

“Yeah, and everyone knows she’s the biggest court gossip” Maxwell added.

Riley looked back and forth between the too men, a little shocked. “So...alcohol and gossip? That’s...refreshingly simple actually.”

Maxwell wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “That’s the spirit! You’ve got this...all by yourself without my help at all.”

Riley pat his hand that was on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Maxwell. I won’t even tell her where you are.”

Drake nodded toward the bar. “Nows your chance. I see her right over there, and she’s alone.”

Riley straightened her skirt, squared her shoulders and walked confidently toward the bar. “Duchess Adelaide. It’s lovely to see you.”

Adelaide looked up in surprise. “Is it?”

“Of course it is. I’m so glad I saw you sitting here. When we were in Shanghai, I overheard you lamenting that there wasn’t any good champagne available.”

“Eavesdropping were you?” Riley tensed up at the accusation but Adelaide’s serious expression quickly turned to a smile. “Good. The court would be an unbearably dull place without all the snooping and gossip.”

Riley felt herself relax a little as Adelaide laughed. “Uh thanks. In any case, I got this for you.” Riley placed the bottle of champagne down the bar.

Adelaide nodded in gratitude and examined the label. “New York is hardly lacking champagne, but this is a a particularly fine vintage. You have good taste.”

“I’m so pleased you like it.”

“Come, Riley, sit.” Adelaide gestured to the empty stool next to her and Riley gracefully slid into it. With little effort, Adelaide expertly popped the cork, leaned over the bar and retrieved two glasses, pouring one for herself. “Champagne?”

“I would love some.”

After pouring Riley’s glass, Adelaide picked up her own and downed it in one sip. Recalling Drake’s advice to go drink-for-drink with her, Riley opted to do the same. When the glass was done, Riley set it down on the bar and Adelaide smiled at her. “I’m pleased to see someone at this so-called party knows how to have a good time.”

“So am I.” Riley politely pushed her empty glass toward Adelaide for a refill. While Adelaide poured, she caught sight of Riley’s dress. “I see you also know how to dress for an occasion. That ensemble will certainly spark a few conversations.”

Riley shrugged. “I guess you could say I have two things going for me...I drink and I dress well.” Adelaide let out a hardy laugh that tapered off into a sigh.

“You know, I find that the United Nations takes itself far too seriously. Don’t you think this event could use a little extra...excitement?”

“How about some courtly gossip?” Riley suggested.

Adelaide had clearly begun to feel the effects of her alcohol as she laid across the bar toward Riley, slapping the bar top. “I do love a good scoop. Though I sincerely doubt you can tell me something I don’t already know.”

“We’ll see.” Riley wracked her brain for a juicy tidbit. “Did you know that Bastien thinks the Queen Mother is unfit for her position?”

Adelaide’s expression was one of surprise. “You would speak ill of my own cousin in front of me?” Suddenly she broke into laughter. “Delightful! I wish that the rest of the court would treat her with less reverence. Who knew marrying a king could make someone so insufferable?”

“I know, right?” Thankfully Riley had full control of her filter and stopped herself from saying something about Madeline being insufferable before marrying a king. Adelaide seemed impressed that she didn’t bite her tongue on previous occasions but saying that out loud might have been a step too far.

Adelaide continued to eye Riley with an air of appreciation as she took a sip from her champagne. “It seems you’ve proven me wrong, Riley. Where _do_ you get your information?”

“Sorry, Adelaide. I can’t reveal the identities of my informants.”

“I suppose every woman has to keep her edge somehow.” Adelaide sighed and finished off her champagne. “To be quite honest, Riley, Regina and Madeline had given me a rather negative impression of you. I should have known better than to trust those two bores. Neither knows how to have any fun at all. But it seems you do. I might be less careful to avoid your company in the future.”

Riley smiled. “Thank you, Adelaide. I look forward to it. I rather enjoy your company, too. It’s nice to see someone at court not afraid to be authentic.”

“I wish Madeline had your sense of levity...it would do her a world of good.”

“What do you mean?”

“That girl has had ambitions higher than the sky since she was old enough to sit at a state function...I know beyond a doubt that she will be an excellent queen but...” Adelaide hesitated, “but I worry about what being queen will mean for her. She puts immense pressure on herself as it is. I can’t see it doing her any good. Perhaps…if she could just let loose every once in a while like you, I wouldn’t worry so much.”

“To be honest, Your Grace, it would probably be better for _everyone_ if she could do that. I’m not sure who would be able to convince _her_ of that though. She certainly wouldn’t listen to me.”

Adelaide nodded thoughtfully. “You know, I think you could have gone far in this court if you hadn’t gotten caught up with that Tariq fellow.” Riley nearly interjected but refrained, thinking maybe Adelaide would ramble something helpful. “…such a sad sap, that one…And _boring_. The only gossip I ever heard about him was that he wore exclusively Italian leather shoes. At least they were Sartorinis. The man has taste.”

“Wait, what?” Fashion was how they were tracking Tariq, Riley was hopeful that Adelaide would say more.

“Oh dear, that gossip is nothing of consequence. Don’t waste another thought on that man. Now, I’m told this place carries an extremely rare and _delicious_ scotch, and I bet I can charm some out of the that waiter.”

Adelaide rose from her bar stool and waved down a server carrying a tray through the dining room. Riley sighed knowing her job was done…she had made a good impression and gotten at least a tidbit of information. She walked from the bar back to where she had left Drake and Maxwell only to find they were gone. Looking around, she spotted Maxwell, mostly hidden in a far corner of the room. When she approached him, he was pacing the alcove and wringing his hands.

“Hey, Max? Everything okay over here?”

Maxwell stopped pacing, a frantic look on his face. “I was trying to perform this cool trick I saw once where you toss a piece of bruschetta in the air without losing the toppings and then catch it in your mouth…But I hit the Turkish ambassador in the face…so, I’ve sought asylum in this alcove.” Maxwell slumped down onto a bench against the wall. “I hope you’re having a better night…How’d it go with Adelaide?”

“I think I managed to impress her.”

“Wooo! Go Riley! Now all we have to do is find Tariq, clear your name, and stop Madeline and Liam’s wedding.”

Riley took a seat next to Maxwell. “Maxwell, there’s something that’s been on my mind…what if we don’t find Tariq?”

Maxwell turned and placed a hand over hers. “No, Riley, don’t think like that! We’re _so close_ …You can’t give up.”

“No…of course not, I’m not one to give up, but…that’s not really what I meant. Even if we find Tariq, you never know what’ll happen. I don’t want Liam to marry Madeline, and I know we’ve kind of talked about this, but…what happens if I don’t become queen? I just want to know that you and Bertrand…and Savannah and Bartie…will be okay.”

“You know me, I’ll breakdance my way to success. Or maybe become a magician! Hmm…or I could be a bestselling author.”

“ _Maxwell_! That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Right, uh…As for Bertrand…He’s kinda figuring things out right now, I think. Riley…when I invited you to Cordonia, I liked you, but I didn’t know you. I saw how Liam looked at you and thought maybe I could help him _and_ set things right for House Beaumont. I guess if I’m being honest, back then I never really thought of _your_ feelings…but now, Ri, you’re my sister, in every way that counts and I value your happiness. I’m sorry I ever made you doubt that. And I’m sorry for all you’ve been through. I didn’t know things would be this hard.”

“Maxwell, you couldn’t have known any of this would happen.”

“I know, just…what I’m trying to say is that the way things are with House Beaumont…that’s for me and Bertrand to fix, not you. I don’t want you to be unhappy because of us.”

Riley threw her arms around Maxwell. “Oh, Maxwell, it…means a lot to hear you say that.”

Maxwell held her tight. “I…I never meant to make our problems your problems.” He drew back and took her hands into his, looking her straight in the eye. “Even if you’re both too stubborn to say the words, I think I know where your heart lies and if you don’t marry Liam, I’m sure Bertrand will find another way.”

“Thank you, Maxwell.” Riley leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek before wiping away the tears that had begun forming in her eyes. “Come on, let’s head back to the party.”

Maxwell hesitated. “What if I mess up again? I might already be an internationally wanted man.”

“I’m done with my duties for the night so, how about this? I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“How do I know _you_ can be trusted?”

“Well…we could find somewhere else to go? Somewhere away from all the diplomats.”

“Ooh,” Maxwell said, jumping to his feet. “Kiara told me that the building just down the block has a cool rooftop lounge.”

Riley hesitated and looked around. Everyone was engrossed in their own conversations, it was fairly evident that they wouldn’t be missed. “Okay…I’m in. I bet it has amazing views of the city.”

From the alcove, they were able to sneak away completely unnoticed, until they were on the street at least. Riley’s ballgown and Maxwell’s tux did attract a bit of attention. Thankfully it was a really short walk. They entered another upscale hotel and took the elevator to the top floor to the roof top lounge, which was luckily open to the public and not just guests. Off to the far end of the roof was a small bar where one bartender was serving two patrons, otherwise the lounge was empty. There were strands of lights criss-crossing the entire space and at the end furthest from the bar, was a seating area with a comfy sectional, chairs and a coffee table covered in candles.

“Wow” Maxwell exclaimed.

Riley stood at the railing that looked out over all of Central Park. She could even see the Plaza Hotel that they had just come from. “This view is unbelievable.”

Maxwell leaned over the railing and held his arms out like he was flying. “We’re on top of the world” he yelled. “Now all I need is my faithful gorilla companion.”

“I can even see more stars from up here. I guess when you get a bit above the city lights, it doesn’t drown them out as much.” Riley thought back to her night in the snow with Drake gazing at the stars in Lythikos, this view couldn’t compare to that, but it was still the most stars she had ever seen in her time in New York. “Looking up at the stars always makes me feel so small.”

Maxwell looked at her with a look of surprise. “Really? But they look so tiny out there. It makes me feel _huge_.”

“They seem tiny, but they’re actually gigantic. Potentially whole other worlds with billions of other lives…it makes me think that maybe all this stuff with the scheme, with the court…like maybe it’s not such a big deal, after all. You know, with everything that’s happened, I’ve been thinking a lot about change. About how much _I’ve_ changed since coming to Cordonia. Liam is a king now, Hana stood up to her dad, Drake is an uncle...but you…you haven’t changed very much at all.”

Maxwell looked down, looking forlorn. “Yeah…”

“I don’t mean it as a bad thing, Max. You’re still the same kind, happy-go-lucky, impulsive guy who walked into my bar what feels like a lifetime ago.”

“It sure sounds like a bad thing.” Maxwell took a seat on the sectional and Riley sat across from him.

“No…I swear, it’s not. Honestly, having you as my one constants has helped keep me sane through all of this. And you know, I’m not sure I ever properly thanked you for what you did when we met.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. I wouldn’t have become an honorary Beaumont or been to court…I wouldn’t have traveled to places I had only ever dreamed of going. You changed my life, Max.”

“Well…really it was Liam, right? I mean…you came to Cordonia for him.”

“Honestly…it was never _just_ about Liam. It was…a guy standing in front of me, offering me the adventure of a lifetime. I had fun that night, but until you showed up outside the bar the next day, it was just a night. I would have gone on with my life like nothing had ever happened. What I am trying to say is…thank you.”

Maxwell shuffled nervously in his seat and avoided eye contact with Riley. “Maybe it would have been for the best if I’d just…left you well enough alone.”

“What?” Riley was shocked. “Why would you say that?”

“If _I_ brought you here, then _I’m_ also responsible for your name being dragged through the mud…for all the problems that’ve come up. I should have at least been able to fix them for you.”

“Maxwell,” Riley took his hand in hers. “I have never _once_ blamed you. It was my decision to come…you asked but I didn’t have to say yes. I’m a big girl. And _Constantine_ is the reason my name is being dragged through the mud, not you. You _are_ fixing it. Weren’t you the one who spent all day on the phone trying to track down Tariq?”

“I guess…”

“And who helped me chase down the reporter in the streets of Italy? And took the receipt to Bertrand?”

Maxwell finally cracked a smile. “Ooh, I know this one! Me!”

“And when I was sitting in a hotel in my hometown, drinking my days away, who came to bring me back to court?”

“Well, Bertrand was there, too.”

“It was you, Maxwell. I can always count on you for support…you’re one of the most supportive people in my life. You’ve always believed in me, even when no one else thought I would survive at court.”

Maxwell shrugged. “Well, yeah…we underdogs have to stick together.”

“It’s more than that, Maxwell. We’re family and family sticks together…big brothers look out for their little sisters.”

“Awww, Riley. But wait…I’m like a cool, fun brother, right? Not a mean, overbearing one?”

“The coolest and the most fun…Bertrand’s got the overbearing part covered.”

“Boy, does he. This has been a good talk.”

Riley nodded in agreement. “Even though you were hiding from diplomatic sanctions…I think we both needed this. The party is probably winding down though, we should get back before we’re missed.”

They took one final look at the stars and shared a hug before making their way back out onto the street and racing back to the Plaza. Slowing down just as they reached the ballroom doors, they both smoothed their attire and casually walked in like they had been there all along. As expected, no one had noticed, and the party was winding down with guests beginning to say goodbyes and depart. Maxwell stopped Riley, still standing near the doors. “Since everyone seems to be heading out, I’m going to go too…I still have a few calls to make.”

“Okay…see you later, Max.” Riley, remembering his invitation from earlier, turned back to the room to search for Liam. Just on the outskirts of the room, she caught his eye. Liam winked and slipped out a door on the opposite end of the ballroom. With a moment of hesitation, wondering if maybe she should just go to bed, Riley instead opted to meet Liam outside. She found him standing at the corner of 5th Avenue and Central Park South.

“I’m glad you came.”

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I should, after Shanghai…”

“I think after Shanghai, it’s more important than ever to get to know one another.”

Riley smiled. “That was my thought too…it will be nice to spend some time together. Are you ready for the best tour of New York?”

“Lead the way.”

Riley started them down Central Park South toward 7th Avenue. “I hope those shoes are comfortable, we’re going to be doing a lot of walking.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage.”

Much like her earlier excursion with Maxwell, they drew a few curious eyes walking through the streets; her in her gown and Liam in his Royal Attire. After walking about a mile, they finally reached their destination…Times Square. Liam’s eyes lit up at the sight of all the stores, restaurants, billboards and lights. People were rushing past from every direction, barely sparing them a glance now amongst the crowds. “It’s a funny thing being in a crowd…you’ve never been more surrounded and yet so completely ignored” Liam said.

“I bet being ignored is something that feels foreign to you these days.”

“Indeed, it is. Though I can’t say that I mind. And, there is no one I would rather be lost in a crowd with. Though, it has occurred to me that this might be the last occasion on which we are able to sneak away for a private excursion.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Bastien and Maxwell will find Tariq in no time, I’m sure, and when that happens…well, the next few days are likely to be a whirlwind. Once the dust has settled, you will be in the center of the spotlight once more.”

“There was a time in my life where I loved being the center of attention. I’m not going to lie, my name in the tabloids has kind of soured me on that.”

“Unfortunately, I think it will be unavoidable, but Riley…you were made for the spotlight. You absolutely belong there, though I don’t blame you for growing weary of it, I know I do, on occasion.”

“Well, for now, I think we should both enjoy our anonymity while we have it. There’s a lot to see around here.”

Liam followed Riley closely through the hoards of people rushing to stores and shows. They hadn’t gotten too far when Riley suddenly stopped at a street vendor. Liam looked at her questioningly. “What is it?”

“I just had a great idea...I’m going to have a shirt made for you.”

“You are?”

“Yes! It’ll be the perfect disguise for our incognito adventure. And, I know just what it will say. Give me a minute.”

Riley walked up to a kind looking old-woman who was running the stand and explained her idea. The woman nodded along with a smile and told Riley to wait just a few minutes. She returned to Liam who was looking over the selection of pre-made items the vendor had to offer. “So what should I be expecting?” he asked.

“A surprise.”

While they waited, Riley picked a shirt for herself that said “ _I can do anything with a little profanity and sarcasm_ ”. When the woman waved her over, she took her shirt and went to pay for both. With the shirts in a bag, she ushered Liam to a nearby clothes store to change. “They have changing rooms in here, try it on.”

“If I’m changing, perhaps you should too. You might catch some extra attention in that.”

Riley held up her own shirt. “That’s the plan.”

Liam took his shirt and disappeared into the store, as Riley did the same. She grabbed a pair of skinny jeans and a light blazer and ducked into a changing room. When she was all set, she folded her gown as best as she could to shove in a tote bag and waited on a bench outside for Liam. He emerged a few minutes later with a big smile on his face. There was no denying that he was an attractive man, standing before her like a blond adonis on the sidewalk in the black t-shirt that was more fitted across his muscular torso than she had anticipated. On the front of the t-shirt were all their friends names _“Drake, Hana, Maxwell & Bertrand.” _Riley clapped her hands excitedly. “Do you love it? Now you can carry your friends with you wherever you go!”

“It’s incredible. And it will be a reminder of you as well. I adore it almost as much as I adore you.”

Riley laughed nervously, unsure of how to respond until she noticed he’d changed his more than his shirt. “Wait a minute, where did you get those pants?”

“Oh, I was afraid that wearing a t-shirt with slacks might cause me to stand out more rather than less...so I bought these in the store.”

“That is...a fair point, which I had not considered.”

“I have good ideas every now and then. Shall we continue our walking tour of New York?” Liam extended his arm toward Riley. While she was sure he intended for them to walk arm in arm, she instead gave him a low-five, laughing playfully. “Let’s keep going” she said.

“It’s nice to feel like a normal person with you, for a change. No intrigue, no schemes...it’s like the first time we met, before you knew I was a prince.”

Riley could tell how desperately he wanted to hold onto the memory of their first meeting. “It was a blissfully simple night...before all of this. Back then, my biggest worry was making rent.”

“And mine was a dreadful social season...but then you came in and changed that.”

“The girl from the big apple swoops in saves the day for the Prince from the land of apples?”

“Seems fitting...you are after all, the apple of my eye.”

Riley burst out laughing, so hard that tears formed in her eyes. “Oh Liam, that was next level corny! But it seems you bested me in the battle of wit and word play!”

Liam couldn’t help but laugh along with her. “Does that honor come with a trophy?”

Riley stopped and turned seemingly serious. “Never! I can’t have my reputation sullied by you advertising that you beat me!”

“I see,” Liam said thoughtfully. “I will have to settle for the personal satisfaction of knowing that you know who the true champion is.”

“I can live with that.”

For the next thirty minutes, they wandered around Times Square with Riley pointing out theaters she’d been to and recounting the various shows she’d seen. Her favorite was a tie between _Wicked_ and _Rent_ ; she had a bit of an Idina Menzel obsession. She had desperately wanted to show him the apartment building from _Friends_ but it was too far in the wrong direction. When they’d covered just about everything Times Square had to offer, they turned back in the direction of the hotel, toward Central Park. Thankfully, the conversation flowed easily as Riley talked about the city, with Liam peppering her with questions based on things he’d seen on TV or in movies. It was particularly funny when he started going on and on about seeing _Home Alone_ _2_ as a kid and wanting to see the Waldorf Astoria. He couldn’t hide his disappointment when Riley told him it had been closed and was being partially renovated into condos.

Only once did the subject of the future come up; when Liam asked if there was an update on tracking Tariq and Riley told him Maxwell was still making calls. Liam was refreshingly honest; admitting that he didn’t want to marry Madeline and he was worried what his future would hold if Tariq wasn’t found. Riley was careful to stay neutral, reminding him that regardless of the outcome with Tariq, they would both have decisions to make.

Finally, they reached Central Park, illuminated by the lights of the skyscrapers all around. Liam took a deep breath as if he’d just stepped into clean mountain air. “Central Park astonishes me every time I visit.”

“Why is that?”

“There is something so...profound about this sliver of nature contained and restrained within the city. New York is a city which knows itself, knows it purpose...and yet, it is unwilling to relinquish this last precious piece of earthen beauty.”

“That’s beautifully poetic. I’ve never thought of it that way before. I guess once you’ve lived here for a while, it’s just a park.”

“Okay...so what about you, Riley? What’s your favorite part of New York City?”

“I’d have to say the people. I love the diversity and the authenticity...everyone is so different yet there is a tie that binds, New Yorkers are rough around the edges, but you always know where you stand.”

“I doubt I would ever consider you ‘rough around the edges’ but...the people here are certainly more forthright than I am accustomed to.”

Riley laughed. “Well, I am a transplant...not a native, so maybe I’m not so rough but I have no problem being forthright. That’s probably one thing I miss about this place,” her expression turning somber. “You don’t have to speak in code or veil your intentions. You don’t have to pretend you feel one way, when you actually feel another.”

“Cordonia, the court at least, does have a way of suppressing such forthrightness...I must admit, I find the honesty here refreshing.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to walk through the park. “Do you miss it? Living here?” Liam asked, breaking Riley from thought.

“Honestly...sometimes. New York became my home when I felt lost...living here allowed me to find myself again. There is a part of me that misses that, just like a part of me misses my high school and my childhood home, they were all places that helped shape who I am...but I’m also incredibly lucky to be where I am now.”

As they reached the base of an old stone bridge, Riley stopped to look into the water. The park was all but empty around them at the late hour. “I’ve never felt the city be so...silent” she said.

“It’s almost as though we are frozen in time.”

“That would make for a great sci-fi movie,” Riley laughed. “A foreign king and a head strong New Yorker team up to save the city when a mad scientist presses pause on the timeline.”

“That would certainly be an adventure. Though, Maxwell would be upset if he wasn’t at least a sidekick.”

“No...that’s the twist ending...Maxwell is the mad scientist!”

“You know, I can actually picture that.”

“It would be a box office hit!”

As another peaceful silence fell between them, Riley absentmindedly began tossing coins into the water below, breathing in the crisp evening air. “So,” she said, “how did I do as a tour guide?”

“You were delightful...I got a real insiders look at the city!”

“Well, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Your Majesty” she said with a playful bow. “But now I better be getting you back. It’s getting late and I think you’ll be missed.”

“I’m afraid you’re right. We should probably return to the hotel, and the rest of the world.” Liam leaned in and gave Riley a soft kiss on the forehead. “Allow me to walk you to your room?”

“Of course.”

They made their way back up Central Park South till they reached the Plaza. Liam escorted Riley to her room, giving her a quick hug before heading off to bed himself. Riley changed for bed and hung her now rumpled dress on a hanger with a dry cleaning ticket. With the wedding shower not scheduled till late in the evening, she was looking forward to sleeping in. When she opened the door to put out the do not disturb sign, she was surprised to find Maxwell and Bertrand standing in the hall. “Good lord, are you trying to scare the shit out of me? Bertrand? When did you get here?”

“Good evening to you too, Lady Riley...I see your use of profanity hasn’t changed a bit.”

“Nope, and it’s not going to. What are you doing here? Did you just come to let me know you’re back?”

“No, Lady Riley, there is bigger news than my return that brings us here.”

“Okay...what is it?”

“Maxwell?”

Maxwell stood with a big smile on his face but still said nothing. Riley was growing frustrated. “Are you going to tell me or am I supposed to fucking guess?”

“Okay, okay” Maxwell said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I talked to a few more shops and, based on customer descriptions matching Tariq, narrowed down the list of addresses where he could be holed up!”

Riley jumped at Maxwell, throwing her arms around his neck. “That’s great news. We should...

Bertrand cleared his throat, interrupting her celebration. “Don’t let your enthusiasm get the better of you just yet.”

“Gee, I’m so glad you’re back, bubble bursting Bertrand...that’s what I’m gonna call you. So...why can’t I celebrate? What’s the catch?”

“Maxwell was only able to narrow it down to ten locations.”

“Which means...a lot of searching when we get to LA” Maxwell added.

“Well, I still think that’s great! Ten doesn’t seem so bad! Great work, Maxwell! You deserve a pat on the back!”

Maxwell reached up with one hand and playfully pat his own back as Bertrand scowled at him. “What? You weren’t going to do it.”

“Wait” Riley said as a thought came to her, “at the party tonight, Adelaide mentioned that Tariq only wears Sartorini shoes. Is that helpful?”

“Actually...yes!” Maxwell exclaimed.

Bertrand actually broke into a smile for once. “Only a few shops carry that brand so you can focus your efforts on the addresses from those that do.”

Riley threw a victorious fist in the air. “Yes, booze and gossip for the win” she exclaimed as another thought hit her...“Hold up, I need another rewind...did you say ‘when we get to LA’.?”

“Uh, yeah...the royal jet is waiting for us as soon as you’re ready to leave” Maxwell replied.

“Now!” Riley exclaimed. “I’m ready NOW!”


	23. Freedom '90

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley and the gang head to LA in search of Tariq. The truth comes out and Riley tries to do the right thing by Madeline and Liam but things don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changes here are mostly to dialogue and flow. In case you're not reading my other story (Somebody That I Used to Know) I wanted to explain here that life has been crazy lately, work, home schooling, etc. and it hasn't left much time for writing. I am writing when I can and promise to keep posting updates but unfortunately can't commit to a schedule right now. I am so appreciative of all my readers, I love to hear from you and I hope you'll stick with me through this crazy time. Thank you!!!
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_All we have to do now  
Is take these lies and make them true somehow  
All we have to see  
Is that I don't belong to you  
And you don't belong to me  
  
_

Riley wasted no time throwing together a bag for the trip. For weeks, it felt like her life had been derailed while the world watched and now the only thing that stood between her and being back on track was an eight-hour flight and a list of addresses. Bertrand had promised to make sure Fletcher was looked after so with everything in New York handled, Riley and Maxwell jumped in the limo to race to the airport. Security was a breeze with having a member of the Royal Guard as escort and within minutes they were on the tarmac, climbing aboard the jet for their red-eye flight. Jumping back on a plane, especially with Maxwell, less than twenty-four hours after the long flight from Shanghai felt daunting but Riley was delighted to find Hana and Drake already onboard. “Oh my god! You guys! I didn’t know you were coming!” Happy tears started to brim in her eyes as Hana pulled her into a hug. Everyone stowed their bags and settled into their seats; Riley and Drake side-by-side across from Maxwell and Hana. Riley looked around, feeling overwhelmed with appreciation for her support system. “So…this is it. All this time searching for Tariq and now we’re on our way to find him.”

“Maybe I should have asked Bastien to help out…or send a guard with us at least,” Maxwell said.

Riley shook her head. “No, I’m glad you didn’t. I want people I trust here for this and that’s all of you.”

“I just hope we can get to Tariq quickly enough. There’s not a lot of time for us to fly back to New York before the wedding shower,” Hana said.

“Never fear, we’re gonna crack this case _wide_ open” Maxwell said.

“Hana’s right…I was so caught up in the moment I didn’t even consider that. We’re not exactly getting to LA at a reasonable hour for knocking on doors.”

Drake placed a comforting hand on hers on the arm rest between them. “Nevin, we’ll figure it out. We’re going to find him and then I can give him a piece of my mind.”

Riley squeezed his hand, not noticing the silly grins on Maxwell and Hana’s faces as they watched the exchange. “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I think its best if I talk to him. I have to convince him that making a statement to the press and setting the record straight is the only way to make things right.”

With exhaustion setting in, the flight attendant brought around blankets and pillows and everyone settled in to get some sleep. Drake tried to convince Riley to use the royal sleeping quarters at the back of the plane, but she opted to stay in her seat. Hours passed quickly as everyone slept. Maxwell was the first to wake up at the sound of the pilot announcing their descent into LAX. When he attempted to stretch, he found that he couldn’t move his arm, looking down to find Hana using him as a pillow. He smiled down at her softly, finding himself drawn to her, he couldn’t resist the urge to gently brush aside the strands of hair that had fallen in her face. Hana woke up with a yawn at the touch of Maxwell’s fingers across her cheek. Maxwell’s gaze was fixed on her, but Hana nudged him gently and pointed to the chairs across from them. Drake was reclined in his seat and Riley was stretched across the seats, sleeping peacefully in Drake’s arms, against his chest with her legs curled up in her own chair. Neither of them wanted to wake their friends, figuring they’d wake on their own when they felt the plane land. They sat in silence, both mentally analyzing the brief moment that had just seemed to pass between them.

Twenty minutes later, they were on the ground and everyone was awake. Drake was particularly quiet, feeling self-conscious about the position he and Riley had woken up in but everyone else was refreshed and chatting up a storm while they waited to approach the gate.

“Riley…are you ready for this? To face Tariq?” Hana asked.

Riley hesitated. “I’m…not sure. Confronting him isn’t going to be easy after what he almost did to me. But I know its something I have to do if I’m going to set things right. I’m ready to put this all behind me so I can get on with my life.” Her gaze fell on Drake, who still sat quietly in his seat.

“Just remember, you can lean on us. We’ll be there the whole time” Hana assured her.

Drake finally broke from his silence. “No way we’re leaving you to face him alone, Nevin.”

“Yeah! Go Team Riley,” Maxwell cheered.

Riley smiled at her friends, feeling truly blessed. “Thanks, guys. You’re the best team anyone could ask for.”

Soon they were off the plane, bags in hand, heading out of the airport. Many of the addresses on Maxwell’s list were in the same general area, so they grabbed a taxi and headed into the city. An hour later, through stop and go traffic even in the middle of the night, they arrived in Westwood. Since it was still too early to go door to door, they found a twenty-four-hour diner and grabbed a booth. Drake and Riley both ordered pancakes while Maxwell and Hana both just stuck to coffee. When the food was gone, with a fresh pot of coffee on the table to be shared between them, they decided to go over Maxwell’s list.

Hana looked at the list with trepidation. “There’s so many of them.”

“How are there multiple people in this city who go through three Armani suits in a week?” Drake asked.

Riley looked at Maxwell thoughtfully. “So…we need to update this list with the information I told you and Bertrand about. Adelaide said Tariq only buys Sartorini shoes…we can cross any addresses from stores that don’t sell them off the list.”

Maxwell ran a pen over the list, considering it carefully and making a series of quick swipes scratching out a cluster of addresses. “That narrows us down to three! I don’t know about you guys but I feel better already!”

Riley looked up at the clock on the wall of the diner. “Well, it’s 7 AM…we need to start _now_ if we are going to make it back in time. What’s our first stop?”

Maxwell pointed to an address on the list that was about a five-minute walk away. They arrived at an apartment complex and despite Riley’s insistence that she be the one to talk to Tariq, Maxwell raced up the steps and knocked on the door of the apartment. A well-dressed man who appeared to be about their age, opened the door. “Hello?”

It was clear that Maxwell was hopped up on caffeine and the thrill of the hunt because he couldn’t stand still as he talked to the man. “Hi. Any chance that you’re hiding a fugitive nobleman? About this tall,” Maxwell indicated with his hand, “wears a really mint cologne?”

“What is this? A cross between ‘Princess Diaries’ and ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’? Am I being punked? I’ve never met a noble in my life.”

Riley, Drake and Hana had finally reached the door, standing behind him as he continued to press the man. “You’re sure? I could show you a picture of him. Or find a sample of his cologne.”

Slowly, the young man began to back away from the door, closing it in their faces. “N-No thanks. I’m good.”

Maxwell turned to his friends, dejected. “Off to a great start.”

“It’s fine, Maxwell. One down, two to go. Clearly he was the shopper at this address…he was certainly fashionable” Riley observed. 

With renewed focus on the next address, they made their way back into the streets of the city. While they walked, they encountered several individuals and groups of people that appeared to be reporters strolling the streets but thankfully Riley had worn a disguise and it held up. Eventually they found themselves near the boardwalk at Venice Beach. The address led them to the porch of an old, weathered condo. Drake pushed to the front. “Step aside, Maxwell. Let me handle this.” He began pounding on the door. “Hey! Anyone home?”

To the left of the door, a curtain shifted slightly in the window and an elderly man peeked out.

“Open the door! We need to ask you some questions!” Drake demanded. Obviously alarmed, the man dropped the curtain and quickly moved away from the window.

“Drake, you’re coming on too strong” Hana said. Hana shooed everyone off the the porch to wait on the sidewalk. Knocking politely, she stood with a smile on her face until finally the door opened. She exchanged words with the elderly man and then disappeared into the condo. A few minutes later she emerged with a paper plate in her hands and rejoined her friends. “The bad new is, no Tariq. The tenants said their son bought a bunch of suits for his job interviews. The good news is they gave me cookies.”

Riley laughed. “Only you could walk away from a stranger’s doorstep with a plate full of baked goods.”

“Well, I have even better news” Maxwell declared. “We’ve only got one address left!”

“Who knew gossip from Adelaide could come in handy” Hana said, passing the plate around.

“Not me. Nice work, Nevin” Drake said between mouthfuls of cookie.

With their time waning and the final address being too far to walk, Maxwell called an Uber. A short drive later, they arrived at another apartment building and made their way inside. After getting off the elevator on the fourth floor, Riley moved to the front of the group, poised outside the door. “The point of no return.” After a deep calming breath, she gently knocked. They were able to hear movement from inside the apartment and a moment later, the door opened and a shocked Tariq stood before them.

“L-Lady Riley!”

Acting on sheer adrenaline, Riley reached up and slapped Tariq in the face, the sound of the impact echoing in the hall. Tariq reached up and grabbed his cheek, his face flush with anger as he muttered several choice curse words.

“Were you going to say something” Drake hissed from behind Riley.

Tariq ignored Drake and looked at Riley as his expression softened. “I…I fear I deserved that.” Tariq stepped to the side, clearing the doorway. “Please, come in.” Everyone filed into the studio apartment and stood awkwardly just inside the door. Evidence of Tariq’s retail therapy was strewn all around the room with a stack of wool coats on the couch and a pile of the infamous Sartorini shoes in the corner. Tariq shuffled nervously about, trying to clean up. “Well, umm…may I offer you anything? My accommodations are a bit paltry, but I can grab us refreshments or…”

“Cut the chit-chat. We’re only here for one thing” Drake spit.

Riley reached out and ran a hand down Drake’s back that was filled with tension. She felt him ease up under her touch and gave him a reassuring look as she took over. “Tariq…we’re here because you need to make this right and I want answers.”

Tariq slumped down on the couch beside his coat collection. “I suppose I would want the same, in your position. What is it you want to know?”

“For starters, why did you run?”

“I believed my flight from court was necessary, to protect both you and Cordonia from the repercussions of my shameful choices.”

“Bullshit! You ran right after Applewood…nothing had even come out in the press yet. You weren’t protecting anyone but yourself.”

Tariq stood speechless as Riley stood over him, continuing to berate him. “And when it did come out… _all_ the blame was placed on me and still you hid, not taking any accountability.”

“I…I can see now that I was wrong in doing so. But I swear that my intention was only to spare you any further harm.” Tariq rose off the couch and moved toward Riley but froze when Drake stepped up beside her protectively with a scowl on his face. “Lady Riley, I would _never_ have left, had I known what it would mean for you. I assumed you would be taken care of…that you wouldn’t be hurt. It seemed best to just…disappear.”

“Tariq, you’re a coward. There is _no way_ you didn’t know what had happened to me. My name has been dragged through the mud in every international publication and you could have come back at _any time_ and made it right, but you didn’t”

“I…I wish I could protest, but you’re right. Everything that I have done with respect to you and your circumstances has been cowardly.”

Riley stepped up, feeling confident with Drake still standing right beside her. “So now, you fix it. Stop hiding, stop letting me take all the shame. You need to make a statement to the press…Tell the _truth_ about what happened that night at Applewood Manor.”

“It’s the least you can do to make up for all this” Hana added from behind Riley.

“Lady Riley, there is nothing I desire more than to atone for what I’ve done, but…I wonder if this is the best path forward” Tariq said hesitantly.

In an instant, Drake was in his face. “Are you questioning Nevin’s judgement? That’s pretty rich coming from you.”

“Yeah, you should probably defer to Riley on this one” Maxwell interjected.

Riley gently took Drake by the shoulder and moved him away from Tariq, stepping up to take his place. “There is _no_ other path. The fact that you would think there is, is almost laughable…almost. I _refuse_ to keep living with this hanging over me. I have let too many people take advantage of me in my life and then lived with their shame like it was my own, I will _not_ let you be another name on that list. _Fix it!_ ”

Tariq hung his head in shame. “You’re right. This calamity has gone unaddressed for far too long.”

Riley’s shoulders noticeably dropped in relief. “So you’ll do it? You’ll make a statement?”

“I will” Tariq relented. “I’ll need some time to prepare my finest clothes, but…”

“No” Riley said, her voice booming through the apartment. “Time is up…you’ve had all the time in the world while you hid and I was under a microscope. You will come with us, _now_.”

Tariq wrung his hands nervously. “What? B-But I need to look my best for a public appearance.”

“No one cares how you look!” Riley was about to blow, her fists clenched tight in frustration. “Madeline and Liam’s wedding shower is _tonight_. If we wait any longer, there will be no stopping the wedding.”

“You…you mean to stop the wedding?” Tariq stammered.

Riley saw the look on Tariq’s face, as well as Drake’s and knew what they were both thinking. “Yes…for the sake of your King” she said, trying to make her intent clear. “I’m not the only one you hurt, Tariq. Liam is being forced into a marriage he doesn’t want. So in addition to clearing my name, your statement can fix that too.”

“I…I see. Well then, I suppose there is no time like the present. I’ll follow your lead, Lady Riley.”

Maxwell called for another Uber and they allowed Tariq the time to pack a bag while they waited for the car. With LA traffic, they made it back to the jet and took off with just enough time to get back to New York an hour before the shower was set to start.

Tariq was given access to the royal quarters at the rear of the jet to freshen up while Riley and her friends remained in the main cabin. For the first hour, she couldn’t stop herself from anxiously looking back at the door of the sleeping quarters. Drake noticed her nervousness. “He’s still back there, Nevin. The only way he’s getting away is if he jumps and we all know he doesn’t have the guts for that.”

Riley nodded, her gaze still fixed. “I know…I guess part of me still doesn’t believe it, like he’s a figment of my imagination or something.”

“No, you did it, Riley. You found him” Maxwell said.

Riley finally snapped her gaze back around to her friends. “No, _we_ found him. It wouldn’t have happened without a group effort. But we’re not out of the woods yet. We have to get his statement out there.”

“Still, this is worth celebrating” Hana said. “How do you feel?”

Riley sighed. “A little anxious, clearly but…relieved. Like I am walking on air. Like I can finally _breathe_ again. But most of all, I feel thankful for all of you…I could have never done this alone.”

“It was nothing, Nevin.”

“You would have done the same for any of us” Hana said.

“Besides, I have to put my master detective skills to work somehow. Use ‘em or lose ‘em, you know?” Maxwell laughed.

“Yes, Sherlock, I know” Riley giggled. “Anyone mind if I sleep again? I can barely keep my eyes open.”

“Go for it, Nevin. Just a…stay in your own seat this time” Drake said with a wink. Riley playfully smacked his arm before reclining her chair and curling up for a nap. A few hours later, Drake gently shook her awake…they were back in New York. As soon as they hit the tarmac, Maxwell fired off a text to Bertrand and Justin who were waiting in Riley’s room when they arrived back at the hotel. They filed into the room, all flanking Tariq as if guarding him from escape.

Justin regarded the disgraced nobleman as soon as he was in the room. “So, you’re the reason I have a job” he sneered.

Tariq looked around at everyone assembled. “Err…who is this man?”

“I’m Lady Riley’s damage control” Justin said, answering for himself while Riley rolled her eyes. “In other words, her press secretary. Now…I just made a deal with the devil to get us half an hour with a sound stage and some cameras on such short notice. If we hurry, I can get a rebate on my soul, _and_ we can get this statement out before the end of the wedding shower.”

Bertrand yelled out in surprise. “Wait! You can’t simply release it to the press. The court must hear Tariq’s statement, of course, but consider how it will look for the royal family if this goes public in the middle of the wedding shower.”

Hana nodded in agreement. “King Liam and Madeline throw a party to celebrate their wedding with the whole court there, and then…”

“When the statement drops, the press and the court will run with it. They’ll assume that the wedding’s not happening.”

“And that’s a _good thing_ ” Justin stressed. “If we want to restore Riley’s reputation, we need to make a bigger splash than those photos did at the Coronation Ball. This is our chance to send a message so powerful that no one can question Riley’s innocence.”

Drake stepped to the center of the room, holding up his hands as everyone began talking at once. “Hold up! I think this is Nevin’s call to make.”

Everyone turned and looked at Riley in anticipation. “Thank you, Drake. Justin…once you record the statement, send it to me. I want to talk to Liam and Madeline before it goes public.”

Maxwell nodded his agreement. “I think that’s a good call.”

Justin however, was emphatically shaking his head. “As your resident PR expert, I have to disagree. The sooner we get the word out, the better. Don’t give Madeline a chance to spin this.”

“Even she won’t be able to do much about a public statement from Tariq” Hana protested.

“I really…” Justin started.

“ _Enough_!” Everyone turned to look at Bertrand. “I hired you to assist Riley, and she has made her preference clear.”

Justin’s body language made his frustration obvious, but like everyone else in the Cordonian court, he had a trained smile. “Understood. You’re the boss, boss. Tariq, follow me. We’ve got an appointment to keep.”

Justin moved toward the door with Tariq trailing close behind, reviewing notecards that he pulled from his pocket and rehearsing under his breath.

A collective sigh of relief was breathed in the room. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I need some sleep before we go to this shower” Drake said.

“Ahhh…a fifteen minute power nap?” Riley asked. “The shower is in an hour and we have to get ready.”

Drake looked down at his usual denim on denim attire and shrugged. “If I lay down in this, I’ll be ready the minute I wake up.”

“Drake!” Hana and Riley exclaimed in unison. “You can’t wear that to the shower, Drake” Hana said.

Maxwell clapped Drake on the shoulder. “Let’s go, buddy. My eyelids feel like they weigh a hundred pounds.” Drake and Maxwell filed out of the room, with Bertrand close behind to make some phone calls. Hana gave Riley a quick hug and headed off to her own room. Since she had slept so much on both legs of the trip, Riley hopped in the shower, did her hair and make-up and selected her dress. She opted for the black sequin cocktail dress she had worn to the speakeasy to confront Bastien. By the time she slipped on her heels, it was time to go.

Once again, the event was being held in a ballroom at the Plaza. Though slightly smaller than the UN Party venue, it was no less spectacular. The floors were a darker grey marble and lush lavender curtains draped the walls. There were fairy lights hung like a canopy from the ceiling and the tables were set with crystal glassware, ivory china and pale pink rose centerpieces. Madeline had clearly gone all out. Dozens of nobles mingled throughout the ballroom after stopping to leave an offering on the gift table which featured a portrait of Liam and Madeline hanging above it. Riley anxiously searched the room for the guests of honor, finally spotting Madeline with her ladies in waiting. Kiara had just gone off in search of a server so Riley took the opportunity to approach.

“Ah, Lady Riley. Here to deliver my ring?” Madeline asked.

“No…but I have it safely in my room. I actually wanted to talk to you and Liam. Is he around?”

“He’s occupied, I’m afraid.” Madeline nodded toward the back of the ballroom where Liam was conversing with several of the UN delegates from the party the night before. “I’m sure whatever it is can wait.”

“Actually, it can’t. I’m trying to do you a favor…spare you from the kind of embarrassment I was forced to endure. You need to call off this shower. Now.”

Madeline rolled her eyes and sighed. “Really, Lady Riley. This is getting tiresome. I’ve been more than patient with you. I’ve overlooked Liam’s obvious affection for you, endured your presence on this tour…”

“Cut the crap, Madeline. We both know I have stayed away from Liam despite your proposed arrangement.”

“Well, then since you clearly don’t want him, I see no reason why I should call anything off.”

Before she could respond, Riley felt her phone buzz in her clutch. Pulling it out, she had a notification for a new email from Justin…with a video attached.

Riley quickly queued up the video. “You want a reason? Fine…if you won’t listen to me, maybe you’ll listen to this.” She held up her phone for Madeline to have a clear view and pressed play. When Tariq stepped to the podium, Madeline’s jaw dropped. With the video continuing to play, Madeline’s face paled. Riley was too engrossed watching Madeline’s reaction to pay much attention to the video.

Finally, the video cut off. Madeline stood speechless for a moment, still fixed on the now black screen. “I…I see. I’ll…think of something to tell everyone. An urgent meeting for Liam, perhaps.” As if released from chains, she turned to go, but quickly turned back. “Thank you…for bringing this to me. If that had played in the middle of our wedding shower, I….thank you.”

Riley gently nodded. “Despite what you may think of me…I’m a good person. I know what public humiliation feels like. I wouldn’t put you through that.”

“I…I supposed I haven’t been entirely fair to you” Madeline said smiling sadly. “You’re far more generous than I would have given you credit for.”

Riley watched as Madeline crossed the room to the stage at the front. Her hands clenched at her sides, as she tried to steel herself for her announcement. She quickly grabbed a champagne flute from a passing server and stepped up to face the court, tapping the glass to get everyone’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen! If I may have your attention please…” All eyes in the room turned in her direction and the hum of conversation died off. Liam still stood at the back of the room with a look of confusion on his face as she continued. “I’m afraid we’ll have to…” Suddenly, memories of the Coronation and waves of panic washed over Riley when she heard cell phones begin to buzz all around her. No one was listening to Madeline anymore, whispers sprung up all around as groups gathered to watch phones. Maxwell, Drake and Hana appeared at Riley’s side as the chatter grew louder.

“You told Justin _not_ to release Tariq’s statement to the press, right?” Drake asked.

Riley stood stunned, frozen by her own memories and pained knowing what Madeline was feeling at that very moment. “Yeah…” she managed to breathe out.

“Weeeeellllll….I don’t know what happened, but…” Maxwell held up his phone where the story was on every tabloid site and even major news sites. Riley couldn’t look, her eyes fixed on the stage when Madeline locked eyes with her for a split second. The anger, hurt and confusion on Madeline’s face cut Riley to the core. From the back of the room, she heard Liam exclaim “They found him!” Broken from her trance, she turned to see him transfixed on his phone. He moved to come to her but Riley shook her head no. Her own phone finally buzzed in her hand, the _Trend_ headline splashed through her screen…“ ** _Flirtatious Photos or Midnight Mix-Up_** ”. The video was embedded into the article. Riley was transfixed, watching as Tariq stepped to the podium. Nerves had caused his hands to shake, dropping his note cards and instead, speaking off the cuff.

_“Hello. My name is Tariq and I…I am here to make a statement regarding the photos of myself and Lady Riley Nevin. Many rumors have circulated about her since those photos came to light. I regret not coming forward sooner with the truth of what happened. And I regret, even more deeply, intruding upon Lady Riley in the first place. It was a misunderstanding that led me to her room that night, mistaking it for my own. The photos that were taken of us reveal only this: a breach of privacy that I alone was responsible for, and an arrogant and unwanted advance on my part. Nothing untoward ever happened between us…at least, nothing on Lady Riley’s part. Lady Riley, I offer my sincerest apologies for what I did that night. I hope this message begins to make amends for the harm I have done. As for the other members of the Cordonian court, I hope this will put an end to any unkind speculation about Lady Riley on your part. Th-thank you for your time.”_

Riley’s screen went black as the video ended. All around them, the court was a buzz with excited chatter as they all turned to look expectantly at her. Riley took the high road and offered the onlookers a dignified nod. Members of the court offered polite bows or curtsies in return. Attention was drawn back to the stage as Madeline cleared her throat. Riley could tell Madeline was working hard to keep her face neutral and noticed a slight tremble as she set down the champagne flute she had been holding. Liam had approached from the back of the room and took the stage with her. “That was…quite illuminating. As I’ve said before, the press has treated Lady Riley incredibly unfairly since this whole business began. On behalf of myself and King Liam, I would like to congratulate her on clearing her name.” Madeline moved toward Liam, about to take his hand, when she suddenly stopped herself and her trained smile faltered. Liam for his part, bowed politely with an apologetic look on his face as he took the microphone to address the crowd. “Countess Madeline is right. I believe apologies are in order from all those who have been anything less than welcoming to Lady Riley since the Coronation Ball. I propose a toast, to Lady Riley Nevin.”

Liam raised his champagne glass and all in attendance followed suit. “To Lady Riley” they said in unison. Liam locked eyes with Riley for a moment from across the room, a soft smile crossing his lips. “As for the rest of this evening, I hope you all enjoy the food and drink we have provided.” At that, he laid down the microphone and left the stage with Madeline at his side. There was a smattering of applause from the court and the hum of eager conversation resumed throughout the room. Riley watched as several nobles swarmed to Liam’s side, full of questions. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Justin pushing through the crowd making a beeline for her.

“Riley! I got here as fast as I could.”

Riley lunged for him, “You son of a bitch!” but before her fist could connect with his face, Drake’s hands were around her waist, holding her back. She wildly flailed her arms to break free from his grasp, walking right up to Justin till they were nearly nose to nose. “I told you not to release that statement. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I know, I messed up, and that’s on me.”

“Messed up? That’s a fucking understatement! You deliberately defied me because I didn’t do what you wanted.”

Justin was more timid than usual, but he remained unflinching. “No, that’s not what happened. Some wanna be reporter spotted Tariq when I was getting him to the sound stage. She followed us inside and got her own footage of the whole thing. I’m sorry...I should have been more careful.”

“Sorry, but I’m not buying it. It’s awfully fucking convenient that you got exactly what you wanted.”

Justin’s attitude took on a tone of defiance as their stare down continued. “Listen, I won’t pretend to be sad that Tariq made the evening news. That’s good for your reputation Riley. But you asked me to do a job, and I let you down. All I can say is that I’m sorry.”

“What you don’t seem to get, is that unlike half of this fucking court, I don’t just think about myself. I wouldn’t wish what I’ve been through on anyone, and your fuck up just sentenced Madeline to that fate. The stories won’t be about Tariq, or me, they’ll be about her and even she doesn’t deserve that.”

“Riley, I promise, nothing like this will ever happen again.”

“Bertrand might pay your salary, but if I have my way, you won’t be around long enough for it to happen again.” With that, Riley turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Justin stunned and speechless. 

In her haste to get away from Justin, Riley nearly ran right into Madeline whose eyes were a blaze with fury. “What was the meaning of that?” she hissed. “Did you warn me just so you could dash my hopes of preserving some dignity?”

Riley felt the sting as her eyes fought against tears. “No, Madeline, I promise you...that video wasn’t supposed to go public yet. I was just as surprised as you.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I find that hard to believe.” Madeline laughed but there was no joy in the sound. “I suppose I should have known that you wouldn’t give up until you had what you wanted.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to believe me...I’ve made no secret of the fact that I don’t particularly like you Madeline, but I would never intentionally set out to hurt you. All I _wanted_ , was for the truth to come out.”

Madeline stood unfazed by Riley’s words. “Enjoy the satisfaction while it lasts, Riley.” Motioning for two royal guards to accompany her, she moved through the crowd and out of the room.

At that moment, Riley just wanted to leave. She felt bolted where she stood, unable to move, staring blankly after Madeline and overwhelmed by the crowd around her. Thankfully, a moment later, her friends were at her side. They all watched her expectantly. “Well, at least that’s over with” she choked out.

Drake draped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Come on, Nevin. Let’s get out of here before the press shows up to ask questions.” Riley simply nodded and allowed herself to be led from the ballroom.

Hana, Maxwell and Drake all protectively surrounded her as they made their way through the lobby and up the elevator until they were safely in Riley’s room.

“What a night” Hana sighed, dropping down on the couch.

“I can’t believe it’s finally over” Riley said, still in a daze, perched on the edge of the couch next to Hana.

“Nor can I.” Everyone jumped at the sound of the unexpected voice in the room and turned to see Liam standing in the still-open doorway.

“Liam! What are you doing here?” Riley asked.

“I had a feeling you would all come here. I came to see you as soon as I could. You’ve done it, Riley.” Liam moved into the room and crouched down to her eye level. “My father put you through so much, and now, after so long, you’re finally free of what he did. And what Tariq did. I can only imagine how you’re feeling.”

“Not as good as you would think” she replied sadly. “I still have my own statement to make and more than anything, I feel sorry for Madeline. She had nothing to do with setting me up and I hate that she ended up in the middle of it and got hurt.”

Liam placed his hand over Riley’s trembling one. “I regret that too, but her situation is not your fault. If anything, that blame belongs to my father...and to me.” His gaze was gentle and reassuring, his expression conveying that he wanted to say so much more, but before he could, Maxwell jumped in to lighten the mood.

“Now that you’re in the clear, this calls for a celebration!”

“Maxwell, I appreciate the sentiment but...do I look like I want to celebrate?”

“Maybe not tonight but...after a good night’s sleep. I’m sure you’ll be up for it tomorrow.”

Riley shook her head and managed a small smile. “What did you have in mind?”

Maxwell bounced around excitedly. “What has amazing fried foods, carnival games and crazy rides?”

Riley stared at him blankly. “It’s Coney Island,” Drake interjected, “he wants to go to Coney Island.”

“I see” Riley said thoughtfully.

“Yep! You. Us. Tomorrow afternoon! Liam can come too if he wants” Maxwell said.

Liam rose to his feet and smiled down at Riley. “An excellent idea. I have more to deal with tonight and in the morning, but I believe I could get away tomorrow afternoon...I’ve heard the view from the top of the Ferris wheel is not to be missed.”

“It is an awesome view” Riley relented. Maxwell continued to dance around, wringing his hands and looking at Riley in anticipation. “Okay...okay...I’ll be there” she said.

At her agreement, Maxwell commenced his happy dance. “3 o’clock tomorrow, then. Don’t be late!”

Drake grabbed Maxwell by the shoulder, forcing him to finally stand still. “She’s the whole reason we’re going there. We’re not going to leave without her.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t miss a second of it” Riley said with a yawn. With the hour getting late everyone said their good nights. Liam headed back to the ballroom and everyone else shuffled out to head to bed themselves. Riley stood holding the door for each of them, sharing hugs as they passed. She lingered for just a moment extra with Drake, fighting the urge to ask him to stay. After the events of the last twenty-four hours, she craved the comfort his presence provided. When he pulled back from their embrace, she clutched his hand as he passed through the door; slowly loosening her grip till just their fingertips brushed until he was just out of reach. When she crawled into bed, Tariq’s statement and the reaction of the court played in her mind on repeat until she drifted off to sleep.


	24. I'll Be There for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley takes some time to wrap up her old life in NY, still unsure of where her new life will be. The gang spends a fun day a Coney Island. Liam makes a big announcement and extends an invitation that sends Riley into a panic. Riley leans on her 'brother' Maxwell to try to sort things out. Feeling confident in her decisions however is fleeting when Bertrand enters the mix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! I hope you are all safe and well. Thank you as always for the awesome response to the last chapter. This chapter is a mix of original content and canon. With the scandal behind her, I thought it was important to see Riley making some decisions about where life will take her, aside from her love life. Since she has been conflicted throughout my retelling of canon, I also wanted to see Riley actually 'react' to Liam ending his engagement and asking her out, or should I say, react beyond saying "Okay" and going dress shopping. With how close they've become, and Maxwell's knowledge of her feelings it just made sense for me to have them talk and of course, they wouldn't be Riley and Maxwell without some banter and movie references. I hope you enjoy and would LOVE to hear what you think.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_So no one told you life was gonna be this way_ _  
Your job's a joke, you're broke  
Your love life's D.O.A  
It's like you're always stuck in second gear  
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month  
Or even your year  
  
_

When Riley woke the next day, it was already noon. Despite having slept on the plane both to and from LA, the events of the day had taken an emotional toll and left her drained. With nothing to do till meeting her friends at 3 o’clock, Riley got dressed, took the subway to Brooklyn, and walked around her old neighborhood. While she hadn’t been an overly social person, outside her co-workers, she did see a couple familiar faces, catching up with the owner and several employees of the bodega down the block from her apartment that she used to frequent. It was also coming to the end of the six-month sublet period she had arranged with her landlord so she stopped by to talk to him. Even though she had no idea where life was going to take her right now, she was sure that it wouldn’t involve returning to Brooklyn. She let him know that she would not be coming back and it ended up working out in the long run because the subtenant actually wanted to stay. Her landlord arranged for her to get her security deposit back and terminated her lease. After everything was resolved, she grabbed a quick snack and text Maxwell to let him know she’d meet them all at Coney Island. She hopped the Q train at Avenue H station and arrived right at 3. When she got to the gates of Luna Park, Liam was waiting for her, with a big smile and decked out in the t-shirt she had bought for him in Times Square. “Lady Riley!”

“Liam, you’re wearing the shirt!”

“It seemed appropriate for the occasion.”

“Where is everyone?”

“We got here a few minutes ago, but something caught Maxwell’s eye. I volunteered to wait here for you. Are you ready to finally spend a day relaxing with friends?”

“More than ready! The rides and greasy food are calling my name.”

Liam laughed. “It would be my pleasure to escort you to them, after we find everyone that is.”

It was a beautiful day and Coney Island was teeming with tourists and locals alike, out to enjoy the weather. Liam led Riley down the boardwalk to a row of shops where Hana and Drake were waiting. Drake was wearing the outfit Riley had picked for him when they had gone shopping together and Hana looked ready for a day of fun in a flowing floral maxi dress. Hana smiled brightly when she caught sight of them approaching. “There they are! I told you they’d get here in time.”

“Okay, you win this one,” Drake relented.

“Get here in time for what?” Riley asked. “To see Drake in that Henley? Glad you didn’t just hide it in your suitcase and forget about it.”

“Hey, you’re the one who made me get it. It seemed, err…boardwalk appropriate.”

“We’re just waiting on Maxwell,” Hana explained. “He said he wanted something more ‘Coney Island Chic’ to wear, but he’s been in that clothing store a long time…”

Just then, the door to the store swung open with a bang and Maxwell stepped out and struck a pose for his friends. “New York, here I come!” His outfit perfectly captured the casual, New York boardwalk vibe he was going for with black board shorts and a white and grey tank top. Somehow, he had found the perfect accessory to represent House Beaumont, a purple skid necklace.

“Holy crap, Maxwell,” Riley exclaimed. “This is the coolest you have ever looked, and that’s saying something.”

Maxwell walked over to them, preening and flexing. “My arms feel so free. I think I’ve achieved peak fashion potential.”

“You really can’t do better than this.”

“Let’s get this party started!” Maxwell declared.

Riley took over as a pseudo tour guide, leading them down the boardwalk past ice cream carts, street performers and visitors from all walks of life. Pleasant smells of cotton candy, French fries and various other foods filled their senses. Hana was in complete awe, having never seen anything like it before. “Food, rides, games…is there anything you _can’t_ do in this place?”

“Nothing worth doing,” Drake replied.

Riley smiled up at him. “I should have known you’d like it here.”

“There’s wholesome, greasy food on every corner, and nobody gives a damn about courtly etiquette. This place is a breath of fresh air.”

“I must admit, this is all a new experience for me” Liam said. “I dreamed of sneaking off to visit a carnival or circus when I was young…but I never had the opportunity.”

“My parents didn’t exactly make time for trips like this, either,” Hana said.

“Well, we’ve got plenty of time today to give you the signature Coney Island experience,” Riley replied.

They continued to wander the boardwalk, past games and arcades until Maxwell gestured to a small booth where an elderly woman in a shawl was telling fortunes. With her eyes locked on Riley, the woman beckoned them over. Maxwell grabbed Riley’s hand to pull her to the booth. “Guys! We _have_ to do this!”

“Don’t tell me you believe in all this stuff. No one can predict the future” Drake scoffed.

“Sounds like someone’s afraid of what the future might have in store,” Hana said, teasing him.

Without speaking a word, the fortune-teller turned to Riley and held out her hand.

“She wants to read your palm,” Maxwell said. “Tell her what you want to know.”

Riley placed her hand, palm up in the fortune-tellers outstretched hand. “I’d like you to read my love line, please.”

Bowing her head over Riley’s palm, she delicately traced the lines with her fingers. When she released Riley’s hand, she took a slip of paper and scribbled a note in swirling cursive, wordlessly placing it in Riley’s palm.

“What does it say?” Liam asked curiously.

“It says, ‘You will know true love, but only you can decide which path that love may follow. And before you and your lover are united, you will face many trials and tribulations…’”. Riley frowned. “ _More_ of them? Seriously?”

“You have faced your share of tribulations already…” Liam agreed solemnly.

Hana was next to have her palm read and was pleased when her fortune foretold that hard times would lead to a bright future. Drake remained skeptical, insisting that the woman was just telling them what they wanted to hear. Riley convinced him that he should try but when he received his fortune, he rejoined the group, scowling.

“What’s the matter, Drake? What does it say?” Without answering her, Drake went to crumple the paper but Riley snatched it from his hands. “Your troubles hang over you like a cloud. You must let them go if you wish to see the sun.”

He snatched it back and tossed it in a nearby trash can. “That’s what I’m talking about. Generic advice. She could’ve said that to anyone!”

“And yet it fits you to a T,” Riley said, throwing him a wink.

Liam was next to go. A moment later, he returned with a furrowed brow and a look of concern. “Mine may be the most unusual one yet…‘A kingdom lost shall not be regained, unless with wisdom you earn your reign’.”

“That’s odd” Hana said.

“Ooh, I can help!” Maxwell exclaimed. “I’m a fountain of wisdom.”

“No, you are not,” Drake deadpanned.

“Maybe she, er, missed the mark on that one,” Riley said.

Liam shrugged and threw away the paper. “Only time will tell.”

“That just leaves you, Maxwell,” Riley said.

Maxwell walked up to the booth and produced his hand. The fortune-teller bent to examine his palm and began scratching her head. Reaching out to grab his other hand, she went back and forth between both palms several times, a look of confusion on her face. Finally, she sighed and scribbled a note for him and he returned to the group looking downtrodden.

“What was that about?” Riley asked.

Maxwell held out his palms, examining them himself. “Well, when I asked her to look at my life line…she said that by all rights I should already be dead.”

“Now _that_ I can believe,” Drake laughed.

Hana looked completely stricken. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Should we get you to a doctor?” Liam asked.

“Relax guys,” Riley said. “Maxwell is going to live forever.”

“Now there’s a scary thought,” Drake said.

“I don’t know. It’s rather nice to think of him looking after Cordonia throughout the ages,” Liam replied.

Maxwell shook his head adamantly. “Whoa whoa whoa, that’s a lot of responsibility…for all we know I’m just a very lucky mortal.”

Riley looped her arm through Maxwell’s as they started down the boardwalk again after being waved away by the fortune-teller. “One of the luckiest we’ve ever met.”

For the next few hours, the friends enjoyed all the boardwalk had to offer. They stuffed themselves on fries, funnel cake, and ice cream, watched sword swallowers and street artists and ducked in and out of various shops. Riley insisted that they had to try at least one game and challenged everyone to a high striker competition. Riley, Drake, and Liam all performed quite equally with Riley just slightly edging out the men, sending the puck a little more than halfway up the tower. It came down to only Maxwell and Hana. Maxwell’s strike was mere inches short of the bell. When Hana stepped up, she held the mallet, testing its weight while examining the lever, the puck, and the tower. Once she was satisfied with her observations, she stepped back and struck the lever, sending the puck straight up and striking the bell. Everyone stared wide-eyed as she walked back to them with a grin.

“Damn, Hana. How did you pull that off?” Drake asked, obviously impressed.

Hana shrugged. “Easy. It’s all about physics.”

“Leave it to Hana to outsmart a feat of strength,” Maxwell jested.

With the sky beginning to grow dark, they made their way back to Luna Park to catch the sunset from the Ferris wheel. Surprisingly, there was nearly no line when they got there. Riley eagerly invited Drake to be her partner for the ride. “Come on Drake, ride with me.”

Drake smiled widely. “Wouldn’t miss it, Nevin. But I call dibs on one of the cars that swings.”

“Deal.”

Hana ended up pairing off with Liam and Maxwell rode alone.

Riley climbed into the car along side Drake, the close quarters providing the perfect excuse to cuddle up to him. As the wheel slowly carried them skyward, they watched the last rays of sunlight fading below them. Riley was watching Drake’s face more than she was watching the view; she loved seeing how mesmerized he was by the sun setting over the ocean. With the swinging of the car, she could tell he was enjoying the ride too. “Wow. This is one hell of a view,” he said.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you enjoy something this much before. Why am I not at all surprised that you’re into carnival rides?”

“You calling me predictable, Nevin?”

“Yes, adorably so.”

Drake wrapped his arm around her shoulders and smiled. “I’m choosing to take that as a compliment.”

“You should.”

Drake leaned to the side, peering over the edge of the car, squinting down at the ground below and then up toward the top of the Ferris wheel. “Okay, I think we’re high enough to make things interesting. Let’s give this car a shake.”

They both grabbed onto the handlebar and on the count of three they rocked the car forward till it started swinging and sliding along the small track that it hung on. Though they were already close, the swinging of the car sent Riley sliding right up against Drake. He turned and caught her, locking them in an embrace. His gaze fell from her eyes, to her lips and lingered there for a moment. “Easy there. You okay?”

“In your arms? Yes, I’m okay…it’s _almost_ perfect.”

“Almost?”

“Well…I could be better, if you want to kiss me.”

Up high in the sky, the gentle breeze was blowing Riley’s hair. Drake reached up and tenderly brushed the strands out of her face. “I suppose while we’re alone up here…I’d hate to miss my chance.”

Drake’s lips captured hers and he kissed her hungrily. Riley brought her arms around him, relishing in the warmth of his body despite the cool evening air. “I don’t suppose we could stay up here forever?” he said when they parted.

“If only…but it looks like our time is almost up.” Riley stole one last kiss before the wheel descended and slowed to a stop, depositing them on the ground. Car by car the wheel stopped to let riders off and they were joined by the rest of their friends. They decided to call it a night but stopped at one last game, the shooting range, on their way out in hopes of winning a prize. Riley stepped up and took the toy rifle, lining up her shot, aimed right at the center of the target and pulled the trigger for a bullseye. The game attendant reached up and pulled a fluffy, hot pink teddy bear off the clip and handed it to her. Riley turned and proudly handed the stuffed animal to Drake.

Drake looked curiously at the pink ball of fur being thrust into his hands. “Oh…Uhh…thanks, Nevin.”

“I mean…as long as you want it.”

“Sure. I can find a home for him,” he shrugged. They continued back toward the exit and Riley snuck a peek back at Drake to see he was smiling and affectionately patting the animal’s head. “ _Knew it”_ she whispered to herself as her heart melted a little bit more for him. Before they made it to the street, without a word, Liam took off toward one of the few remaining food stands that was open. When he returned, he was holding five sticks of pillowy cotton candy. “Here. A final treat for all of us. I’ve been smelling them all day.” Everyone dove right into the sugary goodness, stopping briefly for a toast, with cotton candy, to their friendship. Out on the street, they headed for the subway, when Liam gently grabbed Riley’s arm and held her back. “Riley…I…now that you’re free of my father’s schemes against you, there are so many things I want to say, but…I wouldn’t feel right saying them here…”

“I know, Liam…we talked about this, I’m going to take some time, remember.”

“Yes…yes, of course but, I think you’ll want to here what I have to say. I’ll come find you tomorrow morning. If you are willing to wait for me then.”

“Okay,” Riley nodded hesitantly.

Once back at the hotel, everyone went their own way to head to bed and Riley once again easily fell into a peaceful sleep.

\-------------------------------------------------

Riley woke naturally the next morning; no alarms, no Maxwell, just the sounds of the city coming to life outside her window as she laid in bed. It didn’t last long, however, when there was a knock on the door. Riley pulled on her robe and opened the door to find Liam, dressed in his formal royal attire.

“Good morning, Riley.”

“You’re awfully dressed up. Is there some event that Maxwell forgot to tell me about?”

“No, no. This is for something I must attend, not the court. But, there is news, and I wanted to be the one to give it to you myself. Last night, after I returned to my quarters…I spoke with Madeline. I have officially broken off my engagement to her.” He stepped forward and took her hands in his own. “And I came here this morning because we need to talk.” Riley filled with dread. She had a sneaking suspicion that her time to decide what she wanted was going to be exceptionally short.

Seconds or minutes had ticked by, Riley couldn’t tell which. But Liam stood before her with a blissfully hopeful smile on his face, waiting for her reaction and all she could offer in return was stunned silence.

“Riley? Are you going to say something?”

Broken from her trance, she finally found her voice. “Y-you…broke things off with Madeline?”

“I did.” Simple, direct…Liam was giving nothing away, the picture of composure as usual.

“A-are you okay?”

Liam laughed and squeezed her hands. “Riley…I am more than okay. I feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. The burden of uncertainty. And without that burden, I am able to see a future of possibility. I simply couldn’t wait to let you know, and I want nothing more than to speak with you about it at length, but…unfortunately, I can’t stay. There is an urgent matter that requires my attention.”

“But…I thought…you said…” Riley struggled to put together a coherent thought, so thrown by Liam’s revelation. It was clear that he was doing more than holding on to hope. It was almost as if their talk in Shanghai never happened. Liam pulled her into an embrace that she found herself unable to resist; he enveloped her with his warmth. “I’ve cleared my evening of all appointments and obligations. I’d love for you to meet me outside the bar where we first met…”

“I…I…”

“I sincerely hope it is happiness that has rendered you speechless, love. I really must go but, I’ll see you tonight. Just before sunset.” Liam pulled back and kissed her on the forehead before departing.

When the door closed and she was alone, she slumped down on the sofa, hugging her knees to her chest and willing herself not to cry. She had cried too much in the last six months and tears wouldn’t fix anything. This was her own fault. For once in her life, her filter had worked, at the worst possible time; in Shanghai. It had been her opportunity to be blunt and direct but instead, she had sugarcoated things. A moment later, she was off the couch, dressed and out the door. She had no idea where her feet were taking her, but she just had to go…get away. When she rounded the corner for the elevators, she nearly ran straight into Maxwell.

“Riley…where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“I…I don’t know…just, out…I guess. I just need to walk.” Her words were broken, her mind and her mouth clearly out of sync and she wasn’t making eye contact.

“Hey, hey…what’s going on?”

Maxwell moved to pull her into his arms, but she resisted. For months, since the first trip to Applewood Manor, she had been weak. Everyone thought she was strong, that she was fighting back but she didn’t even recognize herself. At every turn she was crying or dumping her troubles on others, letting other people pick up her pieces. That wasn’t who she was; it hadn’t been for a long time anyway. “Nothing,” she said, shrugging out of his embrace. She leaned against the wall and put her head back, closing her eyes. “I…I can’t keep doing this, Max…running to everyone else with my shit. This weak, weepy ‘damsel in fucking distress’ person that I’ve been for weeks, months…is _not_ me.”

“Ri, there’s nothing wrong with leaning on your friends and family…it doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human.”

Riley scoffed. “When did you start speaking like a wise man?” she said, pulling herself from the wall and finally looking him in the eye.

“I just spit truth, Blossom. Come on,” he said, taking her hand and pressing the button for the elevator.

“Where are we going?”

“You need to walk…so we’re walking.”

They rode down to the lobby and walked out into the streets of New York in silence. And they walked. They walked down 5th Avenue, past the Academy of Sciences, past the Central Park Zoo, through parts of NYU’s campus, all in silence. When they got down to the Met, Riley turned into Central Park and walked along the shore of the reservoir until she found a bench and she sat. Maxwell silently took the seat beside her. Riley stared off into the distance at the skyline of the city that she had once loved. “This isn’t home, anymore,” she said, finally breaking the silence between them.

“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” Maxwell asked.

“Both?” she shrugged. “I came here to hide, I see that now. Everyone else saw it when I moved but I denied it. I don’t want to hide anymore, so…that’s a good thing, but now…now I don’t know where home is.”

“Home is Cordonia, Ri…if you want it to be.”

“Is it though?” she said, finally turning to look at him. “What makes it home? I don’t have a job, a place to live…”

“Us, Riley…you have us.”

“But what about all the…complications, that come along with it.”

“Complications, schmomplications,” he said, waving her off. “You’re gonna take your time and figure out what _you_ want and the rest will work itself out.”

Riley shook her head. “Time’s up, Max.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Liam…Liam came to my room this morning, just before I bumped into you. He ended the engagement. He told Madeline last night when we got back from Coney Island.”

“Riley…that’s great! Your name is cleared and he is out of that phony engagement to the blonde devil, you both got what you wanted.”

“Except, Liam doesn’t have _everything_ he wants. Max, he asked me to meet him tonight…at my old bar. I could be reading him wrong but…when he was in my room this morning, he didn’t look like a man that was simply telling me so that I’d know. He didn’t sound like a man who knows I need more time…he sounded like a man ready to move on to the future he’s been imagining…with me.”

“Oh…that’s big…that’s really big. Do you know what you’re going to say?

“That would require knowing what he’s going to say. And I don’t…but I think I have a pretty good idea.”

Maxwell stared off across the reservoir thoughtfully. “You know…you don’t have to let him do the talking.”

“I know,” she said with a sad smile.

“Just…follow your heart, Ri. If that leads you to him, tell him. If it doesn’t…tell him that too…complete honesty.”

Riley rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. “I don’t know what to do with this version of Maxwell. When did you become so wise and serious?”

“I can’t be the loveable goof-ball _all_ the time, Blossom. It’s exhausting.”

“Impossible…Maxwell Beaumont does _not_ get exhausted,” she laughed. It felt good to finally laugh. “We should probably be getting back,” she sighed.

“Walk or taxi?”

“Walk.” Riley rose from the bench and started down the path but stopped after a few feet, noticing Maxwell wasn’t with her. She turned back to see him standing by the bench, looking at his phone.

“Everything ok?” she asked, walking back over to him.

“Ah…not really.” Maxwell handed Riley his phone. She looked at him curiously before looking down at the screen. It was opened to a text message from Bertrand…a text message demanding that they meet him at the boutique on 5th Avenue to prepare Riley for her ‘monumental evening’.

“H-how the hell does he know?”

“Nothing stays secret for very long in court, Ri.”

“Maxwell, I don’t want to make a big deal of this.”

“I know that…you know that, but Bertrand…Bertrand doesn’t know that. You haven’t mentioned feelings for anyone else to him since we brought you back to court. As far as he’s concerned, marrying Liam is still endgame and Bertrand is Thanos…no, that’s not right…he’s Captain America…oh…I don’t know…he’s the guy who thinks it’s his job to make sure the goal is achieved.”

“Tony Stark, Maxwell…Iron Man made sure the goal was achieved. Damn it, why are we talking about _The Avengers_ , this is serious.”

“Hey, you wanted goof-ball…I just try to give the people what they want.” Maxwell’s phone started to buzz in Riley’s hand as a stream of messages came in, rapid fire. “That buzzing in your hand mine as well be a bomb, we better meet him before he goes full nuclear and blows a gasket.”

With time now being a factor, Maxwell hailed a taxi and they pulled up outside the boutique fifteen minutes later. Riley slid out of the cab, holding her breath, preparing for both a confrontation with Bertrand, and the night to come.


	25. Let Me Down Slowly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley prepares with the Beaumont brothers for her night out with Liam and some truths are shared. Drake wallows at the hotel bar and seeks company. Riley goes through the motions of the night until she realizes where things are going. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! I feel like an apology is due again...I am so sorry for the wait between chapters and I really wish it could be helped but life is so full right now. If you are still here with me, thank you!!! We're at the 'good stuff' and there is a lot of original content here because I never liked how it was done in the game. I hope you enjoy and would love to hear from you!
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Could you find a way to let me down slowly?  
A little sympathy, I hope you can show me  
If you wanna go then I’ll be so lonely  
If you’re leaving baby let me down slowly_

When Maxwell and Riley entered the boutique, Bertrand was pacing among the racks, stopping when he saw them to make a beeline for Riley. “This is it!” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the chaise and resumed pacing once she sat, with Maxwell beside her. “This is the moment we’ve been fighting for all along. You, Liam, and no plots, schemes or blond-haired barriers in your way. If all goes _well_ tonight, House Beaumont will be the talk of every ball, and the esteem and subsequent wealth will surely follow! We have to make this night perfect. Starting with a dress!”

“Bertrand, stop!” she said, perhaps too softly.

“Time is of the essence, we cannot waste a moment. Lady Riley, when do you meet Liam?”

“Bertrand, _Stop!”_

“There is no time to stop. Maxwell, grab everything off the racks, quickly. We have to find the perfect outfit.”

Maxwell moved off the chaise toward the racks but Riley grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Lady Riley, what is the meaning of this?”

“Bertrand, sit!” Riley pointed to the wingback chair across from her, but Bertrand stood resolute. “ _Sit_ , Your Grace” she said through gritted teeth.

Finally relenting, he took a seat in the chair, a worried scowl on his face. Riley leaned forward as she spoke to him. “Do you remember when you came to the US to bring me back to court?”

“Of course I do, Lady Riley…what does that have to do with anything? It was weeks ago and we have achieved our goal and now you’re wasting time. We must find a dress.”

“Why are you being so pushy?”

“Because the glory of House Beaumont, a lineage dating back hundreds of years, is at risk! And I…I will not be the one who fails our legacy. _This is all I have left!_ ”

Maxwell turned to Riley, a look of concern on his face. She turned back to Bertrand, “does this have anything to do with Savannah?” she asked softly. “I’ve seen so little of you, I never got to ask how your visit went with her.”

“There’s nothing to say” Bertrand said sadly. “That chapter has long since closed.”

“But you still talk to her…” Maxwell said.

“’Talk’ is too strong a word. We occasionally exchange messages to make sure she’s receiving adequate support from House Beaumont. Those moments are small. Infinitesimal really. But…they are the treasures of my day.”

“Bertrand…you obviously care for her…and your son.”

“I owe it to her.”

“No,” Riley said, shaking her head. “I don’t think you do it out of obligation…you still care for her…maybe even love her.”

“She’s the mother of my son, of course I care for her.”

“You should be with her,” Riley said matter-of-factly.

“There’s nothing to rekindle and that’s for the best. With such distractions out of the way I can refocus my efforts on restoring House Beaumont, something we are incredibly close to accomplishing.” Bertrand stood from the chair and began pulling dresses from the racks again.

“Bertrand…I wasn’t done.”

“We are not here to discuss my love life, Lady Riley,” he said, continuing in his efforts. “We are here to ensure the future of yours. Now, please take these into the dressing room.” He shoved a stack of dresses into her lap.

“Fine…then back to my original point…”

“Why are you still talking when you should be changing?”

Riley rose to her feet and dropped the dresses down on the chaise. With an outstretched hand, she halted Bertrand from his task and turned him to face her. “The future of _my_ love life is _mine_ to decide. You agreed to that before I returned to Cordonia and I am asking you…no, I am _telling_ you, to let me decide…for me. I love you, and Maxwell, and I am honored to be an honorary Beaumont, but I won’t sacrifice my happiness to save your house.”

Maxwell beamed up at her with pride for finding her strength while Bertrand stared at her, stunned with his mouth agape. “W-what are you saying?” he stammered.

“I am saying that, what I wear tonight, how I act tonight and what I say to Liam tonight…are all up to me.”

“B-but…House Beaumont…”

“Will be fine,” Maxwell said, standing and coming to Riley’s side. “Riley didn’t get us into this mess, Bertrand…I did and in some ways you did too. So it’s on us, not Riley, to fix it.”

Bertrand dropped back into the chair, having lost the will to fight. “So…you won’t be marrying the king?”

“That’s between me and Liam.” Riley crouched in front of him and took his hands in hers. “ _Thank you_ …for everything that you have done for me. You haven’t always made it easy, but…you’ve helped me grow and you’ve become family to me and I appreciate you more than I could ever put in words. But now the only thing I need from you, is for you to be happy for me, no matter what happens? Can you do that?”

Bertrand looked down, slowly nodding. “I…I believe that I can.”

Riley threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. Bertrand brought a single arm around her and awkwardly patted her back. “Yes, yes…that’s quite enough of that.”

Riley stood up and Bertrand rose out of the chair. “I believe you have somewhere to be,” he said.

“That I do.” Riley walked over to the chaise and eyed the pile of dresses. Reaching into the middle, she pulled out a charcoal colored, sequin gown. “I think I’ll just take this one.” Without another word, she paid and walked out of the boutique leaving Maxwell and Bertrand staring after her.

\----------------------------------

When she arrived back to the hotel, Riley walked right passed her own room to the room two doors down; Drake’s room. The day had gone surprisingly fast and she only had about two hours before she was due to meet Liam. She needed to see Drake first. Knocking on the door, she waited patiently for an answer, trying to make sure she looked more confident than she felt; but the answer never came. Three knocks and the door never opened. She pressed her ear against the cold wood but heard nothing coming from the other side. Knowing that word had somehow gotten to Bertrand about Liam’s plan for the evening, she worried that Drake had heard too. Moving further down the hallway, she knocked on Hana’s door and again, got no answer. It was a small comfort to think that maybe, just maybe, Drake was with Hana and not brooding in a bar somewhere with a bottle of whiskey. She wished with everything in her that she had been stronger that morning. That, instead of panicking, she had gone to find Drake right then and there, or at the very least, that she had declined Liam’s invitation and insisted on the time that he had promised. But it was too late for all that.

Returning to her room, she took a quick shower to wash off the sweat from her unplanned two mile walk and then set about doing her hair and make-up. She kept it simple, leaving her hair down in loose waves and a very natural look for her make-up. When she put on the dress and checked her reflection, she hesitated; it felt like too much, but there was no time to change. One glance out the window told her it was time to go, the sun had begun to set and Liam would be waiting. In the lobby, the concierge hailed her a cab, and she slid in, bound for her old bar. With her singular focus on the night ahead, she didn’t see Maxwell enter the lobby or head to the bar at the Palm Court, where Drake sat waiting for him, with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

\--------------------------------------

Drake had been staring into the same glass of whiskey for twenty minutes, ice cubes melted, glass sweating in his hand. For the first time in his life, since he had snuck his first taste of whiskey at sixteen, he didn’t want to drink it. When he was young, he drank to forget; forget that his dad had died, that his mom abandoned him. As he got older, he realized that he never really forgot, he just became numb; and he liked it. So he kept drinking, to numb the fact that he lived in a world where he didn’t fit; that he was only tolerated because his best friend happened to be the prince; that he failed his sister. In the last six months though, he had come to associate whiskey with her; how he noticed she drank it at the club the night they met, how it was a part of almost all of their ‘moments in between’, how she made him feel more intoxicated than even a whole bottle of it ever could. 

It was at breakfast when he first heard the whispers but he hated courtly gossip so he tuned it out and went to the gym to blow off steam. But then he saw Liam in the lobby returning from meetings and the smile on his face said it all; the first genuine smile he’d seen from him in months. That was when he went to find her. He had to talk to her. If the whispers he heard were true, he needed to hear it from her. When she wasn’t in her room, he went in search of Hana, and Maxwell, anywhere he thought she could be. Through it all he was surprisingly calm, clear headed…until he ran into the Duke of Ramsford. Aside from the ten minutes in Riley’s room after they got back from LA, it was their first encounter since the bachelor party in Paris. Drake was taking the high road, being the better man and approached him to apologize but never got the chance. Bertrand was laser focused on his phone, firing off text after text, ranting out loud about preparing Lady Riley for her ‘monumental night’. Those words stopped him in his tracks and he changed course, heading straight for the bar. 

And that’s how he got where he was, alone in a bar at a fancy hotel he had no right to be in, wasting a double shot of top shelf whiskey. Because, tonight, he didn’t want to forget and even if he wanted to, he didn’t think he could. He didn’t want to be numb. He wanted to feel everything; every memory he had with her, every regret for the things he said and the things he didn’t, every ounce of the pain gnawing at his stomach at the thought of Liam’s ring being placed on her finger. He had let down every wall he had spent years building and against his better judgment, despite all of his efforts to the contrary, he fell in love. There was no use in denying it anymore, he wasn’t sure why he ever tried when it had been consuming him for months…he was in love with her and now he could lose her. So tonight, he wanted to feel it all so that he’d remember never to let anyone get that close again. 

When he got tired of the silence and being trapped with nothing but his thoughts, he did the only thing he could…he text Maxwell. It wasn’t his nature to lean on people, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to talk, he’d just welcome the distraction. 

Maxwell slid onto the bar stool beside Drake five minutes later. “Hey, buddy, pal, best friend roomie.”

Drake groaned and held up a hand, “too much Beaumont…don’t make me regret inviting you.”

\------------------------------------------

On the other side of town, Riley arrived at her old bar. She had spent the drive debating whether to end the evening before it really began or at least hear him out. Hoping against hope that he’d be true to his words in Shanghai, she opted for the latter. When she slid out of the taxi, she saw Liam waiting for her by the door, still dressed in his formal attire from earlier in the day. The smile on his face grew as she approached. “Riley.”

“Good evening, Liam. It’s nice to see you.”

“And I have never been happier than to see you.” 

Riley noticed the twinkle in his eye as his gaze slid over her body, taking in her dress. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. “Is something the matter?” she asked.

“No…no, I just…wow! New York City, for all its beauty, pales in comparison to you.”

Riley blushed and looked down at her dress. “Ummm, thank you. It was a very rushed decision but, ah…based on your attire, I’m just glad I didn’t show up in jeans.”

“The dress is lovely, Riley, but I was referring to the woman wearing it. And I do believe that even in jeans, you would still astonish me.”

Riley smiled politely and took a moment to look around the old familiar street. When she had come there with Drake on their first day in the city, she hadn’t really taken it all in. The coffee shop on the corner where she always grabbed a chai before her shift, the office building where many of her lunch hour regulars had worked; nothing had changed, nothing but her. If she wasn’t acutely aware of all she had been through in the last six months, it would almost be like time had stopped and she was right back where they began, meeting Liam on the street when her shift was over.

Liam could see the look in her eyes as she took it all in. “I must admit, it’s strange to be back here.”

“You’re telling me” she said, turning her gaze back to him.

“I’ve often thought of that night in this bar…the confluence of our lives. It left me wondering…what did you think of me when we first met that night?”

“Absolute first impression? I thought you were kind and down to earth. Not many customers would take time out of their night to check on the server. As the night went on, I found you to be a paradox…you seemed _too_ good, _too_ smooth but I could tell it wasn’t forced. I think with any other person, I would have thought it was an act to impress me, but I could tell you were genuine.”

“I assure you, it was very real, but I can’t deny wanting to impress you. Even then, I thought you were astonishing.”

Riley rolled her eyes playfully. “Its impossible to be astonishing it a grease covered, beer stained waitress uniform.”

“You were beautiful…though I think what you’re wearing now suits you far better. But more than that, there was something special about you. You radiated… _possibility._ ”

“I, ah….I guess I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said with a tone of questioning in her voice.

“I hope you do. You make people see what could be…what _can_ be…if they just reach out and take it.”

“If that’s true, I guess that makes me a paradox too…somehow I make people see what can be, but I can’t see it myself.”

Liam gently placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “You will Riley. Now that you are free of this scandal, I truly believe that in time, you will see the possibility that your future holds.” He pulled her into a gentle embrace, her head resting on his broad chest as she processed his words. He said ‘in time’…maybe he hadn’t forgotten his promise after all. “We should keep going,” he said after stepping back. “There is still so much I want to show you tonight.”

“We’re not going in?” she said gesturing to the bar.

“No, not tonight. This way, my Lady.” Liam took her hand and began walking and it only took a moment to realize where they were going. Several blocks later, they stood in front of Kismet, the club she had brought them to.

“Wow, I can’t believe you knew the way,” she said.

“I may have charted the course ahead of time, but this was an important stop on our tour. This place was a hit.”

As Liam led her inside, Riley thought back on their time at the club…Maxwell was excited the minute they walked in, but she never saw much of a reaction from Drake or Tariq. Memories of wanting to dance with Drake flooded her brain but she did her best to push them away and stay in the moment. “Really? Knowing everyone the way I do now, this place screams ‘Maxwell’, I’d think he was the only one that enjoyed it,” she said, taking a seat in the familiar booth.

“They all did, truly…they couldn’t stop talking about it afterward.”

“Maybe I should go into the bachelor party planning business.”

“You would certainly give Drake and Maxwell a run for their money. They planned an excellent event, but your suggestion was the perfect end to the evening.”

Riley laughed, “If I’m remembering right, it wasn’t the end.”

“We didn’t know that at the time.” Liam took her hand across the table and locked eyes with her. “Looking back on that night…when I think about how much knowing you has changed me, I can’t help but imagine the man I would be if I had never met Drake or Maxwell.”

Riley looked at him thoughtfully. “I’d say that Maxwell’s influence makes you more jovial, but I think Drake balances that and keeps you grounded.”

“Hmmm…you are probably correct. You’ve come to know them so well in such a short time.”

Riley nodded, a sad smile on her face. “I’m very lucky to have had them throughout this whole experience. Honestly, when I think about it now…the three of you are all so different. How did you even come to be friends?”

Liam released her hand and sat back against the booth, looking toward the ceiling while he drew on the old memories. “Hmmm…well, I’ve known Maxwell the longest. I’ll never forget his first entrance. It was his first time at court, and earlier that day my brother had done something to upset me.”

“Awww…what did he do?”

“I honestly don’t remember, but I know that I was trying to put on a brave face all day. Maxwell, who had never even spoken to me before, saw right through it and made it his mission to cheer me up. Through some combination of compliments, distractions and persistence, he succeeded.”

“That sounds so perfectly Maxwell. He’s much more perceptive than anyone gives him credit for and at a certain point, it’s just impossible to be unhappy around him.”

“That’s a desirable trait in a friend. What I will always remember is how he ran up to me like I was anyone, like we were old friends, and I wasn’t a prince. He’s never treated me differently because of my title.”

“And what about….Drake?” she asked hesitantly. From the moment she arrived in Cordonia, she had wondered how a commoner and a prince became best friends. But for as much as she wanted to hear the story, she knew it might make her feel worse about being a ‘complication’ between them.

Liam smiled at the memory and Riley felt the first crack in her heart. “He was introduced to me when his father joined the King’s Guard.”

“And you hit it off right away?”

“Oh, not at all” he laughed. “When he first came, he was grumpy, cold and distant.”

Riley couldn’t help but laugh herself. “If I hadn’t gotten to know him better, I’d think you were just describing Drake _now_.” First impressions had told her the same things about him but here she was now, thankful that she hadn’t written him off for that. Thankful that he had shown her the marshmallow center of his grumpy exterior.

“He’s improved significantly, as I am sure you have learned. No, we became friends when a member of the guard caught him playing with one of their tasers.”

“Oh, no!”

“He would have been in serious trouble. But I said that I had stolen it and given it to him so that he wouldn’t get punished. There was only so much punishment a guard could prescribe to a prince. As a result, Drake didn’t get in trouble, and he’s been my most loyal friend ever since.”

Her heart both warmed and ached at hearing how it all began, what they meant to each other. “It must have been so hard on Drake, before he had you.”

“If I offered him any help in those early days, it’s since been repaid many times over. There are times when…when I don’t now what _I_ would have done without _him._ ”

“He’s a good friend,” she said solemnly. All she could do now was hope that what they had was strong enough to survive _her_ , no matter the outcome of her choices. “And what about Hana?” she asked, changing the subject. “How did you meet her?”

“Ah…the final member of the Riley gang. As she only came to court for this year’s social season, I met her around the same time I met you. I could tell even then, that we were kindred spirits.”

“What do you mean?”

“We have a lot in common. We were both bred for a certain life. Both bound by familial expectations.”

“Did you think you might pick her? At some point, I mean? With so much in common it would be a logical conclusion.”

Liam seemed to take a beat to think, choosing his words carefully. “She would have made an excellent match, and she’s brilliant at a great many things, but…hiding her feelings isn’t one of them. Her heart simply wasn’t in it. How could I choose that life for her?”

Riley found it ironic, that he could read all of that in Hana, but missed the signs in her. Then again, maybe she had just been better at hiding her doubts. Maybe, early on, _just enough_ of her heart had been in it to make the signs unnoticeable when the doubt began to grow. It wasn’t fair for her to expect him to notice, when she didn’t always see it herself. As the silence hung between them, Riley lost in thought, Liam ran a nervous hand through his hair. “This has been even more of a trip down memory lane than I anticipated.”

“Thank you for sharing your memories with me. I like hearing these stories about our friends.”

“It pleases me to hear that, but I do have more plans for us this evening. Shall we move on to the next?”

Riley nodded gently, taking one last look around the club and holding dear to the memories before stepping out into the cool evening air with Liam.

\---------------------------------------------

Drake stared with disgust as the bartender set down Maxwell’s second appletini. “Annnndddd…here comes the weird. I can’t believe I’m sitting here with you while you drink that girly shit.”

“It’s not weird, this is a sophisticated drink.” Maxwell took a long sip of the martini. “Mmmm…its like an explosion of fruity goodness in my mouth.” Drake groaned and swirled his whiskey. “At least I’m drinking man,” Maxwell said. “What are you doing, waiting for that whiskey to reproduce into more whiskey before you drink it?”

“I don’t want it,” Drake said flatly.

“Ooohhh, then let me order you something…I know the perfect thing.” Maxwell reached up to flag down the bartender but Drake quickly grabbed his arm and shoved it down. 

“I don’t want a drink, especially not whatever frilly, sugary crap you’d order for me.”

“Then…why are we in a bar? And the most boring one in New York at that…we should be in a club…it’s Friday night. The club would be ‘on and poppin’ and we could be dancin’ with the ladies.”

“On and poppin’? You…forget it. No clubs, Maxwell. I don’t dance.”

Maxwell noticed a pained look on his friend’s face and realization struck him. Knowing Drake as he did, he knew getting him to talk would be no easy feat. “You do to dance, I’ve seen you dance…with Riley.” The minute her name crossed his lips, the look on Drake’s face confirmed his suspicions.

“Yeah, well, Nevin was the exception” Drake said sadly.

Maxwell could tell his plan was working and decided to push a step further. “Oh please…I’m sure the New York clubs are full of ‘exceptions’, all we gotta do is go find them. Come on, I’ll find us a place.” Maxwell pulled out his phone and made a show of looking up clubs, listing places off in rapid succession and Drake cracked.

“Damn it, Maxwell, there’s only _one_ Nevin,” he shouted, slamming his fist on the bar.

“Gotcha!” Maxwell exclaimed.

Drake turned, glaring at him angrily while Maxwell just sat grinning. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“More than meets the eye, baby…I may look dumb and act goofy Drake, but I’m actually pretty perceptive…it’s like my super power. You’re here, brooding about Riley and you didn’t want to be alone so you called me. You’d never admit it if I came out and asked you so…”

“You sneaky little…” Drake lunged for Maxwell, grabbing him by the collar.

“Woah, woah…this is a Bugatchi shirt.”

“Like I know what that means!” Drake huffed sitting back in his seat. “So, you figured it out, good for you…we’re not talking about it.”

“Okay….have it your way buddy,” he said, ignoring Drake’s growl. “I only have one thing to say…if you love her, you have to tell her, she can’t read minds Drake.”

Drake snapped his head around, a mix of shock and panic on his face. “I don…but I…how did you…” he stammered, not a single complete thought coming from his mouth.

“In the words of Tyrion Lannister ‘I drink and I know things’.” Maxwell raised his glass to Drake in a mock toast. Without another word, Drake stood up, threw a wad of cash next to his untouched drink and walked out of the bar.

\----------------------------------------------

After leaving the club, Riley found herself on a familiar waterfront path, the same path she had led Liam down for their impromptu boat ride to the Statue of Liberty. “I never get tired of this view,” she said, looking up at the city skyline.

“Neither do I.” Riley turned and found that Liam’s gaze was focused on her and she blushed. “Riley, the night we met, I thought I knew precisely where my life would take me. Even before my brother abdicated, my life was on rails. I had accepted that I would always have limited choices. When I knew I would become king…I felt even more ardently that I had to listen to my advisors, to walk in the footprints my predecessors had laid for me. I didn’t realize that being a good leader meant taking the reins for myself. Not until I met you.”

“Liam, I….”

“Riley, I had no idea how drastically things would change when I walked into that bar…and into your life.”

“My life changed that night too, Liam. In ways I never expected.”

“All good, I hope.”

“Mostly, but…”

Liam took her hand. “Hold that thought, we have another stop to get to.” Hand-in-hand, Liam guided her to the same dock they had left from that night, where a small ferry awaited with just the captain and a crew member on board. Halfway down the dock, Riley froze, her legs felt like lead. Liam turned, regarding her curiously when he felt his arm tug from her sudden stop. “Riley?”

Suddenly her eyes burned from fighting the tears that threatened to fall. In one quick motion, she pulled her hand from his. “I…I’m sorry, Liam…I-I can’t do this.” Finding her feet, she turned back up the dock and onto the waterfront path as fast as her legs would carry her. Liam gestured to the captain to wait and then raced after her.

“Riley, wait,” he called out.

Her feet pounded from running in heels, her legs burned and she was barely drawing breath because of fighting her tears. She admitted defeat and stopped, turning to face him. Losing the battle, the flood gates opened and fat tears rolled down her cheeks. She angrily wiped them away just as he stopped in front of her. “Riley…what is it? What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing…everything…I don’t know.” Shaking her head sadly, she looked away, unable to bear the hurt and confusion in his eyes. “Liam…you promised me time,” she whispered. “Why did you do all this? Why did you bring me here?”

“Riley, you’re free now and I told you that once I could do so openly, I would stop at nothing to show you what you mean to me. Our first night together was magical, I wanted to remind you.”

“I remember it all, Liam. In vivid detail…but things changed, _I changed_.”

“We both have, love. But perhaps it was destiny that things happened as they did…you broke free just as we returned to New York…as _we_ come full circle.”

“Liam…I am not completely free, there are still parts of those stories that I need to face. I’ve had nothing but time to think of how I would do that, what I would say…”

Liam gently took her hands in his own. “And face them you will, with the same grace and strength that you have faced every challenge that you have overcome.”

Riley took a deep breath, wiped what she hoped would be the last of her tears and met Liam’s gaze with determination. “I…I need you to hear me out, can you do that?”

“Of course, I can,” he said, reaching up and lightly brushing her cheek. The affection in his eyes was almost too much to bear but she persisted.

“When I came to New York, I was broken. I came here to hide, in a city of millions so that I could be invisible. I had just broken free of years of abuse, that I denied and called love and because of that, I lost sight of what I wanted in life. Not long after, I dove head first into a relationship, desperate to experience something different. And I did, it was different, it was good but it wasn’t fulfilling because I still hadn’t taken the time to rediscover what I wanted.”

Riley sighed and paused for a beat, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts. Liam, true to his words, sat silently, waiting for her to continue.

“It took years to get to a good place, to be comfortable being on my own and responsible for my own happiness. And then I met you…and yes, it was a magical night. It was a spark, and romance…that instantaneous feeling that you only hear about or see in movies. So when Maxwell invited me to Cordonia, I came. But, the thing is…I realized pretty early on, that chasing that spark went against everything I spent years deciding that I wanted.” She stopped again, to search his face. The hopeful expression had faded to something more somber. Hurting him broke her heart, but she needed him to know _everything_. “When we talked in Italy and again in Shanghai…I told you we didn’t have enough time…” She drew a deep breath and swiped at the fresh tears falling. “God, this is so hard. I don’t want to hurt you.” Liam just nodded sadly, urging her to continue. “Liam, I know you as a friend…I know you as a King, but I don’t know you on the deepest, most intimate levels that you should know someone to marry them and…I know you think you love me, but the truth is, you don’t know me on those levels either. And I _think_ , you brought me here tonight…to ask me to marry you.”

Liam’s eyes looked sad, like he was fighting tears of his own as he slowly nodded. “Riley…yes. I’ve made no secret of it…I _do_ love you.”

“I love you, too…in every way that a friend could possibly love a friend. But I can’t marry you. I…I wasn’t entirely honest with you in Shanghai, not because I _wanted_ to lie to you, but because I hadn’t been completely honest with myself. When I told you about my feelings for someone else, you asked if I was in love…and I said I didn’t know…but I do. And I hate that I’m saying it now, when I haven’t even said it to him, but the truth is, yes…I’m in love…”. A single tear escaped Liam’s eye and Riley hesitated, knowing that the next two words could be the death blow. But without the truth, neither of them could go forward. “…with Drake.”

Liam jerked his hand back, breaking free of her grasp and putting distance between them. For the first time since she’d known him, he made no effort to cover the emotions on his face. “Drake?” he whispered.

“Yes…I…I wasn’t looking for it, he was so grumpy and cold at the beginning that I couldn’t make sense of why I felt drawn to him…but I did. And the more time we spent together, the more I saw who he really was…saw all the things that you probably see in him as your best friend. And I know that hearing its your best friend probably makes this harder but…you have to know that his loyalty didn’t waiver…he knew how you felt about me, so he fought his own feelings every step of the way.”

“B-but, he does return your affection?”

Riley nodded. “I believe so…he was just willing to sacrifice what he felt for your happiness. And now, if its what you want…I will make the same sacrifice for you both.”

Liam snapped his head up, finally meeting her eyes. “You’d what?”

“I’ll walk away…when the court leaves for Cordonia, I’ll stay here.”

“Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because ‘Drake and Liam’ are the stuff of legend…you have the kind of friendship that not many people are lucky to find. And I would have rather stayed the court whore, than become the woman that came between you.”

“Riley, I won’t lie and tell you that this is easy to hear, or that I think it’s possible to just _stop_ loving you, but I meant it in Shanghai when I said I just wanted you to be happy. And I have spent twenty years wanting the same thing for my best friend. If you have found that together…I care about you both too much to stand in the way.”

Riley stared at him in awe. “Are you…is that how you really feel? I…I know you’re skilled at masking your emotions…you don’t have to mask them with me.”

“Old habits die hard, Riley. It is a part of how I feel…I won’t deny that I’m hurt, confused and yes, maybe a little angry…but those are complex feelings. Saying that I am angry at you, or Drake would be an oversimplification…I’m not angry that you fell in love…I’m angry that I didn’t see it, because if I’m being honest, I should have…angry at myself for not truly hearing all the things you tried to tell me along the way…I pride myself on reading people yet I missed the signs with you and was going to ask you to live a life you didn’t want. And I’m angry that after everything _all_ of us have been through, neither of you felt you could tell me sooner. But _none_ of that will break my friendship with Drake, or change the deep affection I have for you. When it comes down to it, my best friend found love with a truly amazing woman, and…there is happiness to be found in that.”

“I don’t think I will every get used to how _good_ you are…I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Liam. I am so grateful to have you in my life, and I hope…I hope you always will be.”

“I would like that, but…I think that is up to you.”

Riley looked at him with a look of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well, moments ago, you were planning on making a sacrifice and staying here…which I hope I have made clear is not necessary. So what will you do now?”

Riley turned back to the skyline; she had just told Maxwell hours ago that this city was no longer home. Cordonia was home, _Drake_ was home, if he’d have her. “I have no idea what will happen from here but I do know…I’d like to make a life in Cordonia. Find a home, find a job…help people. I want to do something meaningful.”

“You would have made a great queen, but…you never wanted that, did you?”

Riley shook her head sadly. “No,” she whispered. “I knew that I _could_ do it, I just didn’t know if I wanted to, and in a way…once I started questioning that, I questioned everything. I could compete with the other women, but…I couldn’t compete with Cordonia.”

“Is that really what you thought? I’m…I’m sorry if I ever made you feel that way.”

“No, Liam…it wasn’t you. You were the Crown Prince, and now the King, your country _should_ come first. But, whenever we were together, it dominated our conversation, or you’d get pulled away and the more it happened, the further I felt from you.”

“So if I wasn’t King…”

“Don’t…don’t do that, there’s no sense in thinking of the ‘what if’s’.”

“It still would have been Drake,” he said matter-of-factly.

She held her breathe…it wasn’t a question, but the way he was looking at her told her he needed an answer, as if the decision to hold on to hope or let go hinged upon it. “Yes…it would have. I’m sorry, Liam.”

“You don’t owe me an apology, I appreciate your honesty. H-he is a lucky man.”

Liam stood from the bench and extended his hand to her. Riley took his outstretched hand and rose from her own seat. With just a moment’s hesitation, he pulled her into an embrace. They remained in each other’s arm, under the twinkling lights of the skyline, each needing the comfort for very different reasons. When they finally parted, Liam had a gentle smile on his face but Riley saw that it didn’t meet his eyes. The vulnerability he had shown, once again replaced with his Kingly composure and while it hurt to see, she knew it was what he needed to cope. All she could do was feel honored that he had opened himself to her for a moment in time.

“Riley,” he said, “I want you to know that you have a home in Cordonia…no matter what. And I, umm…have a different sort of proposal for you in that regard.”

“I’m not sure I follow,” she replied

“You mentioned a job...helping people, doing something meaningful. While you didn’t wish to be the Queen, there is a station within Court that would still allow you to do those things. It would come with responsibilities and to a degree, you’d still be a public figure, but the pressures and expectations would be less than those of being a monarch.”

“Oh, Liam...I don’t know that I belong at court at all.”

“You most certainly do...your presence there has had a profound impact on so many already. You have this way of bringing people together, not to mention you are intelligent and well-versed in government and politics. All assets that I believe would serve you well, should you accept my proposal. Riley, I would like to make you a Duchess.”

There was no hiding her shock. She hadn’t known what to expect of his proposal, but she never would have expected that. “You want to make me a what?!?”

“There are a few unclaimed duchies in Cordonia. Had we become engaged, one would have been bequeathed to you as part of becoming a royal. However, regardless of what our relationship is, I believe that this is something that would be best for you and for Cordonia. As King, I can bestow you with the lands and the title. You would have a home and a purpose...serving the people of your duchy.”

“You would do that for me? Even after I...”

“For you, for Cordonia and...for myself. You may not return my affections, but I would never punish you for that. If this is what it takes to keep you in my life, consider it done.”

“I don’t need a title or lands for that, Liam. I want us to be in each other’s lives...I thought maybe it would be too hard for you, but...if it’s what you want, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Does that mean you accept?” he asked.

“Can...can I think about it? It’s just, this whole night has been a lot, I’d just like time to process.”

“I suppose that’s better than two ‘no’s’ in one night,” he replied with a smile.

Riley frowned at him. “Too soon, Liam...too soon.”

“My apologies, I just thought we could both do with some levity. You are right...tonight has been a lot, perhaps we should be getting back.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” she agreed.

“Will you wait here? I’d like to accompany you but, I have to handle a few things back on the dock.”

Riley had forgotten all about the boat at that point. Looking toward the dock and the statue she was once again overcome with guilt. “Of course,” she said softly. Liam headed off toward the boat and she reclaimed her seat on the bench. Several minutes passed, minutes spent wondering what came next, what to say to Drake, when she was pulled from thought at the sound of a familiar bark. Down the path, coming from the dock was Liam and Fletcher on his lead waddling beside him. When they reached her, Fletcher jumped into her lap, showering her with puppy kisses and she looked up at Liam with a questioning eye.

“I, ahh, hope you don’t mind...I borrowed him for the evening. He was meant to be...part of what I had planned.” A sad smile briefly crossed his lips but just as quickly disappeared.

Riley placed Fletcher back on the ground and stood from the bench, following Liam down the waterfront path with Fletcher trotting eagerly ahead. “Liam…what happens now for you, without, umm…without a fiancé?”

“Actually, I’m not certain. There’s no legal precedent for this. As far as the letter of the law is concerned, an engagement was only required to _ascend_ the throne. As far as the court and the council are concerned….without a queen, the Crown is not secure.”

“So where does that leave you?”

“As king, I have some authority to take my destiny into my own hands. Whether for love or for stability…I’ll still need to marry. I suppose this just gives me a bit more time.”

Riley stopped, gently grabbing his arm to stop him with her just before they reached the car that was waiting for them. “Liam…I’m sure I am the last person you want to hear this from, but for what its worth...I hope you find someone you really love and who loves you just as much. You deserve that happiness.”

“Thank you, Riley. It’s worth a lot. Though things didn’t go as I had hoped, I am very grateful to you for showing me that I _can_ chose my future. But now…I do believe you still have some business to attend to for yours. Let’s get you back to the hotel.”

The ride back was short and silent but thankfully it didn’t feel tense. Liam walked Riley to her room and said farewell for the evening. When Riley opened the door to enter, she kicked something that slid across the floor. Flipping on the light, Fletcher made a beeline for the item and began sniffing and wagging his tail. “What is it, buddy?” Riley leaned down and found a piece of paper wrapped around a key card under Fletcher’s nose. Unfolding it, she saw a short note…

_Nevin…Meet me on the veranda of my room tonight. We need to talk. – Drake_

Riley clutched the key card and note, racing out the door and down the hall. Her heart was pounding as she swiped the key card and entered his room. There was a single light on but no sign of Drake. Pulling the patio doors open, she stepped out onto the small private veranda and found it empty. Riley sighed. All she could do was wait. She leaned against the railing looking out over Central Park, wondering what Drake wanted to say. It wasn’t like him to actually _want_ to talk. Her thoughts turned to what she wanted to say, just as she heard the door slide open behind her. Riley turned at the sound and saw Drake standing in the doorway, a soft glow all around him from the light behind him in the room. If there had been any doubt in her mind, the moment she saw him, it was gone; she knew that this was where she belonged. 


	26. Glowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley and Drake talk after she returns from her night out with Liam. Drake knows another difficult conversation awaits him and decides to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. In the light of day, Riley and Drake prepare to leave New York with lots of questions still unanswered about their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! Welcome back and thank you as always for reading. I hope everyone is safe and well out there. This chapter is once again a lot of original content. I couldn't imagine a world where two best friends don't talk out their issues so here we see how I imagine things would go after Riley let's Liam down gently.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

** Chapter 26: Glowing **   
_This is my confessional, Seven seconds ‘til I hit the ground  
But you saved my life, Now I feel indestructible  
So protected when you’re around, Yeah you saved my life  
  
_

Riley stood silently, looking at the man she loved, and everything in her just wanted to blurt it out. Tension was written all over Drake’s face, tension that she just wanted to take away for him.

“Hey, Nevin.” Drake stepped out onto the veranda, stopping just before he reached her, his eyes never leaving hers. “We need to talk…about us.”

“Yeah, we do.” Riley took another step toward him until only a sliver of space was between them. “Drake, I…”

Drake held his hand up, stopping her. “Nevin, you need to let me get this out before I lose my nerve.”

Riley simply nodded while Drake ran his hand nervously through his hair. “I, um…I came looking for you earlier,” she said, “but…”

“But you had somewhere you needed to be. I know.” The hurt in his eyes was evident. “And knowing that, I am sure that my timing is awful, but…Nevin, the truth is, I have spent months trying and failing to keep you at arms length, denying there was an ‘us’ or telling you to wait until this scandal was over, and I did it out of fear. I want you to be happy, and if earlier tonight you decided that that happiness lies with Liam, I am happy for you both but I can’t walk away without at least getting over my fear and being honest, because even if it means nothing to you, I need you to know…that I love you.”

Without a word, Riley closed the minuscule distance between them and pulled Drake’s lips to hers. In that kiss, she _felt_ everything he just said and tried to make sure he felt it in return. When they finally parted the look on his face was a mixture of hopeful and confused. “You don’t play fair…I wanted to say it first.”

“W-what?” he stammered, still catching his breath.

“I love you, too Drake.” Riley gently brought her hands to his cheeks and looked deep into his eyes. “I love you, too.”

“But, I thought…” Drake’s eyes searched hers.

“You thought what? That I would come back here tonight engaged?”

Drake turned toward the railing and sighed. “I mean, yeah. When a king asks you to marry him…who could say no?”

“I never gave him the chance to ask.”

Turning around to look at her once again, Drake said, “You what?”

“I met Liam outside my old bar, he had planned a trip down memory lane. At first I thought it was his way of wooing me but once we got to the dock and he had a boat waiting…I just knew what he was going to do, so I ran.”

Drake was shaking his head in shock. “You ran? Like literally?”

“Yeah…I didn’t get too far though.” Drake laughed and it was like music to her ears. “Anyway…he caught up with me and I told him…well, I told him everything but, the most important part being, I told him I couldn’t marry him because I am in love with you. I want to _be_ with _you._ ”

“Nevin, do you really mean that? Liam is a king, I can’t offer you half of what he can.”

“I didn’t come here looking for a kingdom, Drake. You should know that by now. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life and…I don’t think you just invited me here tonight just because you wanted me know how you felt…I think you want to be with me too.”

Drake stared at her silently in disbelief until his gaze softened. “I do. I have for a long time, Nevin. I guess I was just afraid that you could never feel the same.”

Riley reached out and took his hand. “It’s you…it’s always been you. This is probably going to sound crazy but, I think my soul knew before my mind did. The night we met, when I looked into your eyes, it wasn’t just attraction…it was recognition, like my soul already knew you. And I think that’s why, despite the fact that you weren’t exactly _nice_ at first, I was still drawn to you. I couldn’t admit it at the time, but I think the first time you let your walls drop for just a moment, under the stars in Lythikos…that’s when I knew.”

“I feel like you’ve got me at a disadvantage here, Nevin. You know I’m not good with words, but the minute I saw you, I wanted you. But after that night, I never thought I’d see you again…until you agreed to come to Cordonia. As soon as you got on that plane, I knew I was in trouble but I never thought I had a chance. What I’m trying to say is…I don’t know what the hell I did to deserve you, Nevin. But I’ll never stop trying to be worthy of it.”

Riley took Drake’s hand and led him to one of the chairs on the veranda. Once he sat, she gently fell into his lap. Her hand ran through his hair and down his face. She looked at him as if she wasn’t sure he was real.

“Is this the part where you tell me to stop talking and kiss you?” Drake gently brushed her hair out of her face, twirling a strand around his finger. “Because I really want to kiss you.”

“We’re on a balcony…aren’t you afraid someone will see.”

“Let ‘em look. I’m tired of being careful.” Drake’s arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer than she thought possible as his lips caught hers in a searing kiss. When he pulled away, all of the uncertainty and doubt seemed to have disappeared for a moment; there was a smile on his face that shone of pure joy.

“Drake Walker…I don’t believe I have ever seen you smile this much.”

“This is what you do to me, Nevin…reduce me to a pool of sappy mess.”

“I can think of a number of other things that I’d like to do to you.” Riley pulled him into another kiss, slowly grinding against his lap and feeling him harden. Drake groaned and reluctantly pulled away.

“As much as I want to do this, and I really want to do this...if we’re really going to be together, out in the open...I need to talk to Liam first.”

Riley sighed and relaxed against his chest, laying her head on his shoulder. “Okay...I’ve waited this long, but you can’t keep me waiting forever Walker. I just might go crazy.”

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” Drake lifted her chin and leaned in for another kiss but she quickly brought her finger up and pressed it to his lips.

“If you kiss me right now, I can promise you, I won’t stop.”

Drake groaned. “Fine, have it your way.”

They snuggled on the chair for a while in comfortable silence, just enjoying the closeness of each other. Riley ran her hand slowly up and down his chest. “So, it’s late...were you um, thinking of talking to him tonight?”

“Yeah, I probably should. How was he? After you told him, I mean?”

“Honestly, it was the most emotion I’ve ever seen from him...aside from the affection he’s always shown me.”

“He probably hates me, and who could blame him.”

“No...no, Drake, he doesn’t. I swear. I told him how hard you fought what you were feeling, that you were willing to sacrifice your feelings for his happiness and then, umm...I offered to do the same.”

“Do the same? You mean...”

“I told him I’d stay here when the court left, if it meant saving your friendship. Knowing what you mean to each other, I couldn’t bear to be the one that came between you.”

“So you thought all three of us being miserable was the answer?”

Riley shrugged. “I wouldn’t exactly put it in those terms, but...”

“Well, if you’re sitting here, clearly he didn’t ask you to do that.”

“No, but he admitted that he was hurt and angry, not just at us...at himself too. And then he said that he wanted our happiness and he could be happy knowing that you’d found love.”

Drake hung his head and Riley swore she saw a tear fall from his eye. “He’s just so...god, if I were him, I’d hate me.”

Riley reached out and brought his eyes up to meet hers. “No you wouldn’t...because it’s Liam...it’s what you guys do. You were already willing to step aside for him. Go...go talk to him.” Riley took his face in her hands and gave him a gentle kiss. “You know where to find me if you want to talk after, otherwise, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thanks, Nevin.”

Riley stood to go and Drake grabbed her hand, pulling her back to him, flush up against his body. Despite her earlier protests, he locked her lips in one last passionate kiss. “Goodnight, I love you.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing that” she said with a smile.

“I hope not.”

“Goodnight, I love you too.”

Drake walked Riley to the door, battling the desire to have her stay and just talk to Liam later. With her hand in his, he had a perpetual smile on his face that felt foreign. Once they’d said good night for the second time and he closed the door, the smile faded and he slumped down on the bed. He stayed like that for a while, feeling nearer to tears than he’d felt in a long time, wondering what on earth he’d say to his best friend. Riley had said Liam was in good spirits when they returned to the hotel, but Drake knew better. Liam may have shown some emotion in front of Riley but she didn’t see it all. Liam always saved that for behind closed doors and the only person to ever witness it, was Drake. 

Wiping the dampness that had formed in his eyes, he looked at the clock and saw that it was just after midnight. Though he knew it would likely be a sleepless night for Liam and he’d be up no matter when Drake went, he figured there was no sense in dragging it out any longer. Tomorrow they’d all be traveling back to Cordonia together and he didn’t want this hanging over them and on display for all to see.

As he rode the elevator to the penthouse suite, he knew there was no sense in planning what he wanted to say, there was no knowing what he was walking into. Stepping off the elevator, he saw Bastien stationed outside the door looking stoic and alert. When the guard’s eyes met Drake’s however, his expression turned solemn.

Drake walked up to the door and nervously shoved his trembling hands in his pockets. “I need to see him, Bas.”

“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea, Drake.”

Drake shook his head and grit his teeth in frustration. “I get that you’re here to keep him safe, but you know I’m not a threat so whether or not I see him isn’t really up to you.”

“His Majesty gave orders not to be disturbed. Threat or no threat, it is my duty to carry out those orders.”

“Yeah, we all know how good you are at following orders,” Drake scoffed.

Bastien’s gaze softened. “I know you’re upset, son but your anger currently seems to be misdirected...my wrongs have been righted and are in the past now. Perhaps if you’re looking for someone to be angry with, you should look in the mirror.” Though his gaze and tone were soft, his words were biting and lit a fire within Drake.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I simply mean that, your affections for Lady Riley have been clear for sometime now, never more so than when you started throwing punches to defend her honor at the Coronation Ball. Had you simply had the courage to stand-up and declare them at that time, all this heartache could have been avoided to some extent.”

Drake looked down, defeated by the truth in Bastien’s words. “I was trying to protect my friend and stand aside for his happiness.”

“And yet here we are. Drake...knowing you and His Majesty as I do, I know you will be fine...in time. But, you know how much I care about you and therefore I must warn you...if you insist upon knocking on that door, what you will face on the other side will not be easy.”

“I know that, Bas. I think I know that even better than you.”

Without another word, Bastien stood aside, allowing Drake to knock. Muffled sounds of movement came through the thick mahogany doors, followed by the sound of Liam berating Bastien for being disturbed before the door finally flung open. Liam stared blankly at Drake, his eyes red rimmed and puffy, the smell of alcohol emanating off his breath. He still wore the white dress shirt and slacks from his Royal attire but he was rumpled and disheveled, his shirt untucked and the collar hanging open. Leaving the door open, he turned and disappeared into the room. Drake looked hesitantly at Bastien before entering the room and softly closing the door.

Looking around the dimly lit area, Drake realized he was just in an entry foyer and followed the long hallway until it opened up into the living room. There, Liam sat on the couch, looking out to Central Park. On the coffee table in front him was a decanter of scotch that was half-empty; a fresh double shot in the tumbler in his hand. Drake took a seat on the chair across from him.

Liam pushed an empty tumbler and the decanter across the table to Drake. “If you’ve come here for my blessing, I’ve already given it to Lady Riley.”

“That’s not what I’m here for, Li,” Drake said softly.

“Then what _are_ you here for?”

“To talk...to apologize...to check-on you.”

“I believe I said all I have to say for now to Lady Riley and I’m sure she shared with you that I am fine.”

Drake scoffed. “Yeah, she told me...but after twenty years as your friend, I know you better than that and you sure as hell don’t look fine.”

“Hmm, that’s interesting,” Liam said drawing another sip from his glass, “after twenty years I thought I knew you too. I guess we were both wrong.”

“I’m not wrong...get it out, Li. Don’t hold back. You wanna scream, scream. You wanna hit me, hit me; I won’t even try to fight back. Just don’t sit there and tell me that you’re fucking fine because I know you’re not. You have every right to hate me.”

Liam slammed his glass down on the table and finally looked at Drake for the first time with a fire burning in his eyes. “I can’t hate you. That’s the fucking problem,” he yelled. He slumped back in the cushions, covering his face with his hands and sighing. “I am feeling so damn much, I can’t even name it which is why I have no fucking idea how to deal with it but none of it is hate for you.”

“Then what? What the hell is it that you are feeling? And how the hell could you be wrong about knowing me?”

“The Drake I thought I knew would have told me! You’ve never hidden a god damn thing from me...ever. But I can’t even stay mad at you for that because I hate myself for being blind to what I should have seen right in front of me.”

“I’m sorry, Li.”

“For what, Drake? I just absolved you for not telling me, so what exactly are you sorry for? Are you sorry for loving her?”

“No,” Drake whispered.

“Of course not! And I can’t blame you for that either. Riley is...Riley is an amazing woman that any man could easily love. You had time with her that I didn’t, you shared things with her that I couldn’t ....you protected her when I couldn’t. All because of the damn title, but you know what...she flat out told me that even if I wasn’t King, it still would have been you.”

“Li, I honestly thought there was nothing to tell. The only way I ever saw this ending was with your ring on her finger. You’re right, she’s amazing and I...I’m nothing. Why the hell would a woman like that want me? Especially when she could have you. Every time she tried to tell me how she felt, I never believed her. So I figured I’d love her, she’d choose you, I’d get drunk and then get over it.”

“So that’s it...you’d set aside the fact that you fell in love, for the first time in your life, and just walk away...for my happiness? Why?”

“Yeah, Li, that’s the long and short of it. Because you’re my best friend ...hell, you’re my god damn brother...I’d do anything for you.”

“So, what makes you think that I wouldn’t do the same for you?” Drake was speechless, staring at Liam; he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. “Exactly, Drake...there’s no answer to that, because I would do the same for you. And what you see before you, is me handling it in exactly the manner that you just said you would have. I meant it when I told Riley that I was happy for you. In twenty years I have never seen you let your walls down with a woman. I know for a fact you’ve never been in love...until now. How could I not be happy that you found that?”

Drake stood from his chair, frustrated, and walked to the window, staring out into the city. “Because you had to lose it for me to find it, Li! That’s how!”

“Drake, I’m not going to deny that this hurts like hell, but I can’t lose something I never had. She never loved me and after speaking with her tonight, I think in many ways she was right...I didn’t love _her_...perhaps I loved what she represented...freedom, possibility, a choice of my own not dictated by the court. And all this shit is what makes working through this so hard, but I will work through it and as I told Riley, I’d never punish either of you for finding each other.”

“Then why the fuck do I feel like I want to be punished. I don’t want to be absolved...I’m an asshole.”

Liam rose from the couch, straightened his shirt and retrieved a water from the mini fridge. “Well, I guess you’ll just have to punish yourself then, because I won’t...and considering what you just found in your life, I think spending time beating yourself up would be a waste.”

Drake returned to his chair and poured a tumbler of scotch, knocking it back in one gulp. “Fuck,” he muttered, holding his head in his hands.

Liam sat across from him again, having regained his stoic composure to a degree. “Drake...I will deal with my shit and I will be fine. Before you leave this room, we need to agree that neither of us will let this hang over us for long. Tomorrow we return to Cordonia and Riley will be coming with us. I want you both in my life. And if she accepts my offer, she will be a citizen with a home and a purpose, and you will have each other.”

Drake’s head snapped up. “Offer? What offer?”

“She didn’t tell you?”

“No...we talked about a lot but...”

“I’m sure it wasn’t a priority at the time...I offered her a duchy. She’d have lands, an estate and a title.”

“You what? Since when do you go around handing out duchies?”

“Since I believe she is worthy. You can’t deny that she is a positive influence at court. With her intelligence and her ability to bring people together, she’d make an excellent Duchess.”

Drake let out out an ironic laugh. “So, you are punishing me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Drake. Number one, she hasn’t said yes. She asked for time to think about it which I’m sure includes talking to you. And number two, you know damn well that a title would never change her, you can’t believe she’d ever be anything like the other nobles.”

“No, you’re right. If anyone can stay true to themselves at court, it’s Nevin.”

“So, the two of you talk about it and let me know.”

Drake nodded. Rising from his chair, he walked up to Liam and extended his hand. Liam instead rose from the couch and pulled Drake into a hug. It wasn’t an awkward ‘man hug’ but a true embrace between brothers. “Thank you, Li...I ummm, I don’t know what I did to deserve a friend like you.”

“No, thank you, Drake...for knowing that I needed this even if I didn’t know it. If I have been a good friend to you it is only because you have never been anything but the same to me.”

Drake looked solemnly at the ground, still riddled with guilt that he knew he’d have to get passed.

“We have an early flight,” Liam said. “We should both try to get some sleep.”

“Okay, man. I’ll let you get some rest.”

Liam walked Drake to the door and they said their good nights. The guards had changed shifts and Drake was grateful not to have to face Bastien again. When he got off the elevator, he contemplated stopping at Riley’s room but it was after 1 AM and he wanted to let her sleep. As he entered his room he noticed the bathroom light on and the door open just a jar. The small sliver of light was enough to see that Riley was in fact sleeping...in his room...curled up smack dab in the middle of the bed with the keycard he had left for her earlier clutched in her hand. Looking down at her, so beautiful and peaceful, he realized that even the weight of guilt couldn’t overpower the love he had for her. Crawling into bed next to her, he was careful not to wake her. The comforting warmth of her presence began to lull him to sleep quickly. As he drifted off, for the first time, he truly believed that they’d all be fine.

\-------------------------------------------

Drake woke to the sound of his alarm all too soon, feeling like he barely slept all. Normally he’d groan and grumble about having to get up, but today was different; today he could sense the eyes upon him as he stretched the sleep from his body. “I can feel you staring at me, Nevin.”

When he opened his eyes, Riley was at his side, propped up on her elbow, just watching him sleep. “How long have you been watching me?”

“Only about ten minutes,” she said, a sheepish smile on her face. “I can’t help it…I’ve wanted to wake up beside you since we went camping in Paris.”

“Not that I mind, but why _are_ you waking up next to me?”

Riley dropped back down to the pillow and cozied up beside him. “I went back to my room and couldn’t stop worrying about you talking to Liam. I know you well enough to to know you wouldn’t come find me afterwards but I wanted to be here for you to talk, so I let myself in to wait for you. But…clearly I ended up passing out instead.”

Drake kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, Nevin.”

“So what time did you get back? How did it go?”

Drake sat up, swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood up. “We’ll talk while I pack. We have a flight to catch.”

Drake pulled his duffle bag out the of the closet to find it already packed.

“I _may_ have packed your things before I passed out. I did my own before I came back here.” Riley stood from the bed and pointed to her suitcase by the door. “I left the trunks in my room to be picked up by the staff and Fletcher is still there sleeping too.”

“Okay then…change of plans. We’ll talk while we walk Fletcher.”

Drake threw on the clean clothes Riley had left out of his bag while she pulled on her boots. They grabbed Fletcher from her room and left their bags in the luggage hold by the front desk before heading out across the street and into Central Park.

Riley wanted to reach for Drake’s hand but wasn’t sure it was good idea until Liam had made his own official announcement regarding his circumstances. They ended up keeping a companionable distance while they walked instead.

“So…when are you planning to start talking, Mr. Walker?” Riley asked as they came to an open grassy area near the pond. With the early hour, the park was nearly empty and Fletcher was allowed to be off his leash so she decided to let him run while she and Drake sat on a bench.

“Not much to say, Nevin. He, uh…told me the same things he told you. I think he was more of a mess than he let you see and he’s gonna need some time but I do believe he’s happy for us.”

Riley took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “See, I told you.”

“Then why do I still feel like an asshole?”

“Because you see your friend hurting and you blame yourself. You didn’t set out to hurt him though, Drake. You actively tried not to but…I don’t think it’s possible to try _not_ to fall in love.” Riley laughed to herself, “do or do not, there is no try.”

“Did you seriously just quote Yoda?”

Riley’s soft giggle erupted into hysterical laughter. “This is me Drake…I’m weird, take or it leave it.”

Drake smiled and looked around cautiously before leaning in and giving her a gentle kiss. “I‘ll take it, definitely take it.”

“I mean it though…I don’t think its anything either of us could have _stopped_ and I truly believe Liam sees that.” Drake nodded thoughtfully. “So now we can all go home and hopefully with some time…things will be back to normal.”

“Speaking of home…are we going to talk about what Liam offered you?”

“Offered me?” Riley asked, confusion on her face.

“Yeah, Nevin…lands, a title?”

“Oh shit, yeah…I had forgotten all about that. It was like a footnote on the night, sorry baby.”

Drake’s eyes went wide. “Baby?”

Riley laughed. “Not a fan of pet names?”

“N-no…no, it’s just…I wasn’t expecting it.”

“Sorry, it just kinda slipped out. But anyway, I’m sorry I forgot to mention it last night. We were just so focused on more important things.”

“It’s fine…I get it. Li said you hadn’t given him an answer.”

“No…it was just too much with everything else that had happened so I asked him if I could think about it.”

“And have you?”

“Not really, I haven’t exactly had time and…honestly, this effects you too. I can’t decide without your input.”

“But, if I wasn’t a factor? What would you say if you were just answering from your gut?”

Riley sat for a moment in thought, watching Fletcher bound around at the edge of the pond. “I…I’m intrigued by it, honestly. It would give me a chance to make a difference.”

“That’s not a decision, Nevin.”

“I can’t pretend like you’re not a factor, Drake…you are. I’m making my home in Cordonia so we can be together. So, what are your thoughts?”

“I think you’d be an amazing leader and dedicated to your people. You know how I feel about nobility, but…I know you’d never be a typical noble.”

“God, no…never. I don’t know if this will help or hurt but honestly, I think Olivia would be the perfect role model…she’s a Duchess but she has no fucks to give and is just unapologetically herself.”

Drake groaned. “Ugh…I guess if you look past her constant bitchiness and penchant for deadly weapons, yeah, you could learn a thing or two from her.”

“Don’t worry, Drake. I’m not gonna start hating everyone for no apparent reason or carrying daggers in my dress.”

“Okay…well, you have my thoughts now. If its what you want, I’m behind you every step of the way. The final decision is up to you.”

Riley leaned over and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you. I can’t tell you what your support means to me, through _all_ of this.”

“Any time, Nevin…I’ve always got your back.”

Drake stood from the bench and called Fletcher who came running. Once they had him back on his leash, they began the walk back to the hotel. “I have one more question” Riley said.

“What’s on your mind, Nevin?”

“Well, from the moment we stepped outside today, I’ve wanted to hold your hand but I still kinda feel like we should be keeping this under wraps for now. But…I hate having to hide it. When do you think we can ‘go public’, so to speak?”

“Hmm…well, Liam needs to announce the end of his engagement, and you were still planning on making a statement of your own. I’d say once those things happen there is no reason to hide.”

“Okay, good. That’s what I was hoping you would say. I can’t wait till we can just finally relax and enjoy life.”

“It’ll happen, Nevin. I promise.”

“It better,” she said as they arrived back in the lobby. “You still owe me an official first date, Mr. Walker.”

Drake’s eyes went wide. “Really? We, umm…we both already said ‘I love you’, don’t you think we’re passed the whole first date thing?”

“Nope…I’m not letting you off the hook that easy, Drake. I expect to be wooed.”

“You’re killing me, Nevin.”

Riley laughed. They grabbed their bags from the front desk and headed out to the limos that were waiting for the court and were off to the airport.


	27. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley heads back to Cordonia with her friends, prepared to make the country her new home. Things are still a little strained even after Riley's mind is made up regarding her love life...she must not only navigate something new with Drake, but also tread lightly with Liam's still fragile heart. Back at the palace, Riley meets the media and makes her own statement with only the details she is willing to share. Liam helps Riley take the first steps toward learning her new role at court and the friends plan a night out to unwind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers! Thanks as always for sticking around and for the amazing response to this story. We are slowly getting toward the end of Book 2. This chapter isn't overly action packed but we get to see Riley navigating her new reality as a result of following her heart. The tensions here are only briefly eluded to in canon but I expanded upon them a bit because as I said before, I can't imagine things just being 'normal' and 'okay' when such intense feelings and broken hearts are involved. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Hold on, to me as we go  
As we roll down this unfamiliar road  
And although this wave is stringing us along  
Just know you’re not alone  
‘Cause I’m going to make this place your home  
  
_

Liam had invited the gang to all fly home with him on the royal jet. With Madeline arranging her own transportation, he would have been alone otherwise. Riley had been hesitant at first to accept the invitation so soon after everything that had happened but thankfully there was very little tension. While Liam took calls at the back of the plane and Drake slept, Riley sat with Maxwell and Hana, filling them in on the events of the previous night.

“Hot damn…my plan worked,” Maxwell declared. “I’ll be adding master matchmaker to my ever-growing resume.”

Riley looked at him curiously and he filled her in on his time with Drake at the bar.

“Well, I guess I owe you double thanks then. You gave us both the courage to follow our hearts.” She leaned over and gave Maxwell a big hug. After telling them about Liam’s offer and her desire to build a life in Cordonia, they all settled into doing their own thing for a while. About two hours into the flight, Liam emerged from the back of the plane and settled into a seat across the aisle from Riley and directly across from where Drake sat sleeping. Riley popped out her earbuds and unbuckled.

“Mind if I join you?”

Liam looked up at her, a flash of a sad smile crossing his face before he regained his trained one. “Of course. Please sit.”

Riley took the seat next to Liam. “I wanted to talk to you about your offer.”

“I hope this means you have an answer.”

“I do…but I think I should wake him up for this,” she said, nodding to Drake. She leaned across the space between them, gently shaking his knee and saying his name softly. Liam looked on, both touched and slightly pained by the intimacy of the gesture. Drake slowly blinked his eyes and gained his bearings, coming to grips with where he was. When he sat up his chair and saw Riley sitting next to Liam, a look she couldn’t quite read crossed his face, but he quickly tried to cover it. “Hey sleepyhead. Sorry to wake you. I wanted to talk to Liam about his offer and I thought you should be a part of it.”

“Yeah, sure Nevin, whatever you want.”

Riley flashed him a smile before turning to Liam. “So, I have had some time to think, as well as talk to Drake and…” Riley gently placed her hand over Liam’s on the arm rest, “I’d like to humbly accept.” Riley felt Liam’s hand tense under hers and saw a grimace on Drake’s face as he watched the gesture, so she quickly withdrew her hand. “I…um, I think becoming a Duchess will allow me to make a difference, so my answer is yes.”

Liam’s expression was all business as he politely nodded. “I am pleased to hear you say that,” he said, though his tone didn’t convey much pleasure. “I will handle the paperwork as soon as we’ve returned. You will receive dual citizenship, lands, an estate, and your title.”

“Thank you, Liam…for everything you’re doing to make this transition to a life in Cordonia possible.”

“You owe me no thanks, Riley. You earned it.”

Just then, Bastien approached Liam and spoke in a hushed tone in his ear. Liam at once looked alarmed and turned back to Drake and Riley. “If you’ll excuse me. There is a matter I have to attend to.” He rose from his seat and headed back into the back of the plane.

Riley looked at Drake concerned. “Do you think there is really something going on or he just had Bastien make something up to get away from us?”

Drake scoffed, a scowl on his face. “You’re overthinking, Nevin. It’s not like he knew he was going to be talking to us and could plan the ‘fake emergency’ act. He is a king, things come up.”

Riley searched his face and could tell he was upset. “What’s going on? Why do you look like you want to drink a whole bottle of whiskey and break things?”

“I’m fine,” he said curtly.

“Nope…that doesn’t fly with me, Drake. If we’re going to do this, you don’t get to shut me out.”

Drake covered his face with his hands and sighed before finally looking up again to meet Riley’s gaze. “It’s just…why did you choose _me_? Waking up and seeing the two of you side-by-side, seeing you take his hand. You two _fit_ and I am just the odd man out in this equation.”

“There’s no equation here, Drake. I’m with you, 1+1, just the two of us. I sat next to Liam because I thought it would be easier than him seeing me sit next to you right now. And, touching his hand was a _friendly_ gesture. That’s it.”

“Nevin, I just…I can’t make sense of it. I don’t know how I’m supposed to believe that I’m really what’s best for you.”

“Oh, Drake. You are nothing but the best for me…you love me, you’d never hurt me…and despite some early struggles, we became the best of friends before falling in love. That is literally the definition of _everything_ I’ve ever wanted.”

“But you and Liam…”

“Are friends! I will do everything possible to make sure you always know you are it for it me…but you have to work on letting yourself believe it.”

“Okay…okay, I promise I’ll get there, Nevin.” Riley moved into the seat next to Drake and placed a quick, chaste kiss to his lips before anyone else could notice.

Liam returned to the main cabin a few minutes later and announced that they’d be making an unexpected change to the flight plan and landing in Italy to take the train back into the Cordonia. After his announcement, he once again went back to the office in the back.

Riley settled into the seat next to Drake and took a nap the rest of the way.

\--------------------------------------------

It’s was 9:30 PM when they landed in Rome and it took about an hour to get the entire court transferred to the train they would be taking the rest of the way. Everyone resumed their cabin assignments from the engagement tour and quickly retired for the evening as the train began to make its way to Cordonia. 

The next morning, Riley and her friends gathered in the dining car for breakfast. Between the amount of sleep she got on the plane and a good night’s rest, Riley felt refreshed despite the lengthy trip home. “This has felt like the longest travel ‘day’ ever. I’m glad we’re finally going back to Cordonia. I’m ready to stay put for a while and it will be nice to stop sleeping in hotels.”

“Not to mention on trains,” Olivia added.

“It was great to have the best friend roomies together again, but it’s a shame we couldn’t fly straight to Cordonia,” Maxwell said while sipping a mimosa.

Drake looked up from his coffee at Liam who was sitting across from him. “We didn’t get much info last night, Li. You said there was some kind of security issue with the last leg of our flight?”

Liam maintained a look of calm so as not to alarm anyone. “Probably nothing to worry about, but when the Royal Guard voices concerns, I find it best to listen to them. Taking the train was mostly a precaution. I promise we’ll all be home in Cordonia soon enough.”

With Liam’s reassurance, everyone dug into their breakfast. As Riley took a bite of her omelette, she caught Drake’s eye across the table and their gazes lingered, both with warm smiles on their face. They were still staying low-key since their little gang of five were the only ones in the know. Everyone seemed to make quick work of their breakfast, setting their plates aside, except Olivia who had barely touched a thing and was pushing her food around.

There was chatter and laughter all around the table until the clang of silverware hitting china brought it to a halt. “If no one else is going to ask about the elephant in the room, I will,” Olivia announced, turning directly to Riley. “Your reputation has been restored, and we all know Madeline is out of the picture, so...I assume Liam asked you to marry him.”

Riley stared wide-eyed unable to speak and Liam attempted to jump in. “Olivia, I...”

“Judging from the fact that neither of you have mentioned it, I also assume you said no,” Olivia finished.

Ready to be done with all the secrets and hiding, Riley mustered her courage, looking Olivia dead in the eye and told the truth. “I’m not sure why it’s your business but, you are correct, while it never got the point of officially asking, I said no.”

From the look on Olivia’s face, it was clear she was not expecting Riley’s honesty. “But...why would you...”

“Olivia, please!” Liam said with authority. “This is a personal matter between Riley and me. She doesn’t need to explain her reasons to you, or to anyone.”

Olivia looked like a child who had just been chastised. “I...I’m sorry, Liam.” Her sad eyes briefly flicked to Riley again before quickly looking back at her plate. “My...apologies, Riley.”

Riley only nodded politely. “It’s alright,” Liam assured her. “But now I’m afraid I must take my leave of you all. The press will be waiting when we arrive at the palace and I have a few notes to prepare.”

“They’ll probably want to hear from Riley too after what happened at the wedding shower,” Hana interjected.

“I, um...I guess I better get ready and prepare some notes of my own,” Riley said nervously. Her eyes flicked to Drake who was giving her a quiet look of reassurance.

After excusing herself, Riley’s first stop was the train’s boutique. While she scanned the racks for something to wear in front of the press, there was a knock on the door. She called out for whoever it was to come in and when she turned, Justin was standing in the doorway, beaming. Still angry over the release of Tariq’s statement, she was less than thrilled to see him. “What do you want?”

“Bertrand told me you had an important tete-a-tete with King Liam on our last evening in New York.”

“Of course he did,” Riley said, rolling her eyes. “What are you even still doing here? The statement is out, your job is done.”

“Actually,” he said, joining her in browsing, “Bertrand hired me to get you through the Homecoming Ball, so until then, you’ve got me in your corner.”

“Yay me,” she muttered.

“It’s definitely good news” he said, ignoring her sarcasm as usual. “Every reporter in Cordonia is going to want a word with you now that Liam has called off his engagement. They’ll be circling like sharks until they get a story. We should get to work.”

“I think I’ve got this one covered, Justin.”

“Oh, nonsense...it can’t hurt to work together. Here, step one of dealing with the press today will be this.” Justin opened his palm to reveal the earpiece they had used in the past.

“Great...this again.” Riley took the earpiece and tossed it in her tote with no intention of wearing it. “I assume you have a step two in mind?” she asked.

“Well, step two really depends on where you and King Liam stand. I hate to pry, but it’s better for me to help you formulate a response than let the press tear it out of you.”

“We’re not engaged, if that’s what you’re asking,” she said with a tone of annoyance.

Justin’s face conveyed pure shock. “Oh! Then you’ll want to keep that under wraps, at least for now.”

Riley immediately felt gutted. She had assumed that she and Liam would both address it in the most painless way possible. All she wanted was a clean slate to allow her and Drake to be out in the open. “Why should I do that? I’m tired of feeling like my damn life is on hold.”

“We want the press to focus on your triumphant return to Cordonia, not whether you’re going to be the next queen.”

“I’m not sure how giving them a definitive answer to that could hurt. The answer is no...I won’t be the next queen...we are not engaged today, we won’t be engaged tomorrow or next month. It’s not changing. I’d rather tell them that then let them speculate endlessly about when he will ask me.”

Justin looked at her questioningly but she wasn’t going to budge on giving him any more detail than that. “Of course, Riley...you have my professional opinion but the decision is entirely yours.”

“Thank you, Justin,” she said begrudgingly. “I’m quite done with having decisions taken out of my hands.”

“Well, your next important decision is right in front of you...your look. Have you picked anything?”

Riley presented a blouse and some fashionably worn jeans that she’d selected. Justin scanned the racks again and pulled a sleek purple blazer to pair with her choices. Despite her dislike of him, she had to admit it was a perfect choice.

“Every Cordonian journalist worth knowing will be there to see you make an entrance. You want something that says ‘I’m back and ready to take this place by storm’.”

Though part of her was tired of worrying about her image, she knew it was important since she was soon to be announced as a Duchess. She stepped into the changing room and emerged a few minutes later feeling put together and confident. After accessorizing with a long tassel necklace, hoop earrings and some bangle bracelets, she was set to go. A moment later, the train’s whistle blared signaling their arrival at the Capital’s station. Riley said a hurried goodbye to Justin and rushed to her compartment to collect her things. When she stepped off the train, there was a motorcade waiting to carry everyone through the streets back to the palace. It was a grand welcome home.

As soon as the motorcade reached the palace gates, they were swarmed by reporters. The drivers slowed to a crawl as the Royal Guard tried to hold the crowd back until they could safely reach the palace steps. Once they finally came to a stop, Liam slid out of the limo, waving to the crowd and Riley followed him out into the commotion.

After much internal debate she had opted to put in the earpiece in case Justin had anything of value to add for once. Almost immediately, she regretted it when he felt the need to coach her through a simple photo op. As they made their way to a podium, Riley smiled and waved to the crowd. Ana de Luca was of course right up front with her cameraman, commenting on their ‘elegant’ entrance. Liam had just taken his place at the podium and the flashbulbs subsided in favor of questions which were being lobbed rapid fire. Donnie Brine from CBC managed to speak above the others. “Welcome back to Cordonia, Your Majesty. How does it feel to be home?” It was a softball question compared to what Riley had expected to hear but it was perfect for easing in.

Liam smiled proudly. “Thank you all for the warm welcome. It is wonderful to be home among the Cordonian people.”

Not surprisingly, Ana de Luca went right for the jugular. “There are rumors that you’ve broken off your engagement with Countess Madeline of Fydelia. Can you comment on that?”

Liam was calm and cool as usual. “Countess Madeline and I are no longer engaged, that is true,” he said matter-of-factly. “My reasons were personal, but she comported herself with dignity and honor throughout our tour together. I wish her nothing but happiness for the future.”

At Liam’s admission there were murmurs throughout the crowd before the cameras and questions turned to Riley.

“Lady Riley. It looks like you’re ready to greet Cordonia in style,” Donnie Brine said.

Groaning internally that the first thing they’d mention was her clothes, she managed a polite smile. “Thank you. It’s good to be back.”

“I’ll cut to the chase” he continued. “We’ve all seen Lord Tariq’s statement on the news by now. With the questions surrounding the scandalous pictures answered, is there anything else from those reports that you’d care to address.”

“Thank you, Donnie. Yes...I would like to address those reports in their entirety. As to the matter of my name, I can confirm that my given name at birth was Emily Anne Nevin. My reasons for changing it however were not anything torrid, I have nothing to hide. It was simply a decision I made as an eighteen year old girl, eager to assert my independence. I had been named after my mother and while she was the greatest woman I’ve ever known, I craved my own identity. The reports included multiple police reports that included my names being used interchangeably and I’d like to state again, that that was not in an attempt to hide anything. Those that filed some of the reports had known me my whole life and found it difficult to get used to the change.”

“And what of the content of those reports, Lady Riley?” Ana de Luca called out.

Riley took a deep settling breath, hoping to avoid a shaky voice or tears, she opted to keep her statement short and direct, without providing a lot of details. “While it is not an easy thing for me to talk about, those reports are legitimate. In my late teens I entered into a relationship that during the course of three years became abusive...mentally, physically and...sexually. Since that time, I have taken the steps necessary for my mental health to heal from what I went through and I now dedicate much of my time to supporting other women who are living in or breaking free from the same type of circumstances.”

“Thank you, Lady Riley. We appreciate your candor on such a difficult subject and your dedication to helping others is admirable,” Ana replied.

“One last question,” Donnie called out. “Now that the truth has come out and King Liam is newly single...is there any chance of you becoming the next queen-in-waiting?”

Suddenly, Justin was in her ear. “ _Remember, Riley, they don’t need the truth. Just toss the flock a bland morsel to chew on_.”

She had hope that this question would be directed to Liam, allowing him to divulge as much or as little as he wanted. Now that she was expected to answer, she felt an internal struggle. Without knowing what Liam wanted, she couldn’t be overly truthful. As much as she hated it, she had to listen to Justin this time. “I think it’s too early for such questions. It’s hardly considerate to Countess Madeline and King Liam to speculate so soon after the end of their engagement.” Liam looked at her with a grateful smile.

“You...make a good point,” Donnie stammered. “I withdraw the question, Lady Riley.”

“Thank you,” she replied as Justin invaded her head again.

“ _It’s not every day you get to see a reporter eat their own words. Nice work_.”

Liam stepped back to the microphone. “I appreciate the sentiment, Lady Riley...and I do have one piece of news to share with the Cordonian people. In a few day’s time, Lady Riley will be Cordonia’s newest duchess.”

“That’s...quite an honor to bestow, Your Majesty,” Ana exclaimed. “Lady Riley, I have to ask, as a relative newcomer to court, do you think you’re ready to shoulder the responsibilities of a duchess?”

“ _Really_?” Justin’s voice boomed in her ear. “ _Of course you’re ready to handle the responsibility. Questions these days,_ ” he scoffed.

Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him, knowing it would look directed at Ana.

“Thank you, Ana. Yes, this a great honor and I feel very ready to take on the responsibilities. My education was largely focused on the study of government and politics which I believe will be an asset in my new role. For matters where I might need additional support while I settle in, I am privileged to have counsel and guidance from our King as well as other members of the court. I think in my short time in Cordonia, I have been through a lot. Whatever obstacles being a duchess has in store, I will face them just like I’ve faced everything else.”

“Ana, I think she’s got me rooting for her,” Donnie called out.

“I look forward to seeing what you do with your new station, Lady Riley,” Ana replied.

“Thank you everyone for coming today. That will be all for questions. Good day to you all,” Liam said, waving to the crowd. There was a smattering of cheers and applause as Riley and Liam stepped away from the podium.

As the press conference ended, Justin signed off over the earpiece and Riley discreetly removed it. Liam led Riley inside the palace that was a buzz with activity. There were extra security guards everywhere trying to stay out of the way of the busy staff. “You handled yourself wonderfully out there,” Liam said as they entered the main hall.

“I think at this point, I could do a press conference on my sleep.”

“Now that I’d like to see,” he smiled. Riley was happy to see that Liam seemed comfortable with her and wasn’t acting any differently toward her. While she knew he was well trained in masking his emotions, she had expected at least some tension. Not wanting to rock the boat, she decided not to mention how ill prepared they were for the engagement question and instead focused on the activity going on around them. 

“Is everything alright in here? I’ve never seen the palace this busy.”

“There are always adjustments when the court returns from an extended tour, no matter how much notice we’ve given the staff. Although, speaking of adjustments, I was hoping you would join the royal family for lunch.”

Riley looked at him in shock. “Meaning…you _and_ the King Father and Queen Mother?”

“Yes. Calm down Riley…it will be fine. In light of your status as a future duchess, they wanted to discuss your new role though I will admit, things have been fraught between us ever since I learned the truth about what my father did to you.”

“I can only imagine,” Riley replied. “I hadn’t considered the possibility of sharing meals with the guy who tried to ruin my future in Cordonia.”

“Indeed. However, it would mean a great deal to me if you dined with us. Despite my father and Regina’s faults, they both have years of ruling experience to share.”

“Okay, I’ll do it…but only for you.”

Liam’s gentle smile masked a hint of pain in his expression. “Thank you. I promise, I’ll be right at your side the whole time.”

“So, I can count on you to kick me under the table if I can’t seem to hold my tongue?”

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” he laughed. “I admire your knack for speaking freely, but if you wish me to do so, you have my solemn promise.”

Liam led Riley through the hallways of the palace into the royal wing which she had only ever been in for dinner the night of the Coronation. They came to the same double doors that she walked through that night, behind them, the small private dining room. A servant opened the doors at their arrival and ushered them in to the table where Constantine and Regina were already seated. Regina stood and Riley curtsied politely.

“Lady Riley. Thank you for joining us.”

Constantine remained seated, likely due to his faltering health, and nervously adjusted his collar before meeting Riley’s gaze.

“Yes. I believe we all have business to discuss,” he said in a formal tone.

“Your Majesties,” Riley said with a bow. “Thank you for the invitation. Just so we’re clear, I’m here only because Liam requested my presence.”

She waited for the kick from Liam but it never came. He stood stoically at her side as promised with a proud expression as Regina and Constantine exchanged a somber look.

“I did not expect you to be pleased to see me,” Constantine said. “But for the sake of your duchy, and for Cordonia, it’s good that you are here. Please, have a seat.”

Liam pulled out a chair for Riley across from Constantine and Regina and then took the seat next to her after she was slid in. With everyone in their seats, servers began arriving with platters of food and Liam decided to get right to business. “The first…” Before he could continue, Constantine suddenly began to cough. Regina turned to him immediately and put a comforting hand on his back while Constantine smiled and gestured for Liam to continue.

“The first point we should discuss, Lady Riley, is the name of your new duchy.”

Riley looked at him curiously. “Does it not have one?”

“No, it does. Traditionally is has been known as Valtoria. However, according to Cordonian law, a new duchess or duke may change that name upon claiming the duchy’s lands. The choice is yours.”

“Hmmm…that is interesting. I think, however, since there is clearly a focus on my being new to Cordonia, it’s probably important to show that I embrace tradition. I’d like for the name to remain Valtoria.”

Liam nodded and smiled appreciatively as Riley helped herself to some of the dishes of food on the table.

“Valtoria’s name has been honored throughout Cordonian history. I am glad it will still have a place in this kingdom,” Constantine said.

“As the duchess of Valtoria then, you have many new responsibilities awaiting you,” Regina added.

Constantine nodded in agreement with his wife. “Ordinarily, one would spend years preparing for such a role…but you’ve demonstrated surprising resourcefulness and tact, Lady Riley. Particularly in light of my actions toward you. You may yet carry out your duties with distinction.”

Regina sat with a still empty plate, regarding Riley carefully. “I’m curious Lady Riley, what do you consider a duchess’s primary duty to be.”

“I believe my primary duty is to be a fair and just leader for the people of my duchy. Beyond that, I believe I have a responsibility to support and represent the monarchy and thereby the people of Cordonia as whole.”

“A very fair assessment,” Constantine praised.

“Yes, indeed,” Regina agreed. “An even-handed rule will show the people that you can be trusted to make impartial decisions. They will look to you for guidance in times of strife, and expect you to support them in times of peace. You must never forget that your decisions will impact many more lives than your own.”

Constantine nodded solemnly. “Unfortunately, you are gaining more than mere responsibility.”

“I’m sorry…I don’t believe I know what you mean,” Riley replied.

“We’ve spoken of Cordonia’s enemies before. Your new position is likely to attract their attention, one way or another. Those without power are always interested in those who hold it. And power recently gained often appears the easiest to seize.”

Riley looked on in shock. “Should I be worried?”

Liam placed a reassuring hand over hers. “I’ve already taken steps to ensure your continued safety, Riley. Several guards will look out for you for the time being, but you’ll have a personal security detail as soon as I can arrange it. Though of course, I hope you’ll never have need of such measures.”

Riley bristled at the delicate touch of his hand and for a moment wondered if things would have been different had he shown this much care and concern all along but she brushed the fleeting thought aside. “Thank you, I’m glad you’re looking out for me, Liam.”

Liam looked at her longingly and then quickly withdrew his hand as if he had touched something hot. “Of course. Despite past intrusions…” he said eying his father, “I want you to always feel safe in Cordonia. I want it to feel like home.”

“It already does, but some personal security definitely won’t hurt.”

For another half hour, lunch proceeded rather quietly, with Liam occasionally providing sympathetic and reassuring glances. As the meal came to an end, Liam prepared to excuse himself. “Thank you both for lunch. I have other matters to attend to, however, and I’m sure Lady Riley…”

Constantine held up his hand. “Wait, please. There is one last thing I wanted to say. Lady Riley, I don’t expect that you will forgive my actions, regardless of the reasons behind them. I only hope your opinion of me won’t color your feelings toward the Cordonian people. Their ruler’s faults are not their own.”

Riley looked at Liam with hesitation and he immediately knew she was about to be very candid and with a nod he encouraged her to go on. “Your Majesty, your actions in revealing my past and setting up those pictures did exactly what you are asking me not to do…I was scrutinized for the faults of my abuser, twice over. And you are correct, you cannot expect my forgiveness. Your reasons, regardless of how valid _you_ believed them to be, do not excuse what you did. I will always look out for the Cordonian people, you have nothing to worry about in that regard, but I will never forget what you did to me, and to your son.”

Constantine bowed his head. “I didn’t expect you would, however, I suppose I am grateful that you only lay the blame at my feet.”

“Why would you expect anything else, Father? Riley is intelligent, capable and far more generous than you give her credit for. Continue to underestimate her if you must, but I have no doubt that she will make a remarkable duchess.”

Riley looked up at Liam with great admiration and affection for standing up to his father and defending her honor.

“I hope time proves you right, Liam,” Constantine said. Liam and Riley both stood from their seats and offered a slight bow before leaving the room.

After leaving the dining room, Riley made it exactly ten feet down the hall and out of the royal wing before stopping and letting out a breath she had been holding and slumped against the wall. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “Well, that could’ve gone worse.” As Riley stood imagining how she could have leapt over the table and put her hands around Constantine’s throat, she was pulled from thought.

“Riley! Liam!” At the sound of Maxwell’s voice, she opened her eyes and saw him, Hana and Drake approaching.

“Told you we’d find them here,” Drake said smiling sheepishly at Riley.

She couldn’t help but smile brightly back, almost forgetting all about the crappy lunch. “What’s going on guys?”

“Oh, not much. We just came to invite you to the best beer garden in Cordonia,” Maxwell said, doing a little shimmy to music only he could hear.

“Riley’s in the clear, we’re back in Cordonia...that calls for drinks if you ask me,” Drake added. Riley eyed him curiously at the use of her first name but Drake didn’t seem to notice.

Maxwell was standing next to Hana, looking over her shoulder while she was transfixed on her phone. “Hana’s been reading this places menu for the last hour.”

Hana gently elbowed him in the side. “Don’t judge. They have a lot of options.”

Riley looked up at Liam who had been silent since they left the dining room. She wondered what was on his mind and hoped she hadn’t done anything to upset him. “Think you can get a way for a little while, Liam?”

Liam frowned thoughtfully. “I have at least a dozen meetings this afternoon, but if you’re willing to wait until the evening...”

“I think we can wait till evening, right guys?” Riley asked. Everyone nodded in agreement. “Well, then I’m in, somebody needs to keep an eye on these two,” she said pointing between Max and Drake. 

“Meaning...Maxwell and Hana?” Drake asked.

“Very funny. You do see me pointing, right?”

“Yeah, I don’t think Riley was talking about me,” Hana replied and everyone got a good laugh. Liam excused himself for his meetings and Maxwell and Hana made up a silly excuse to take off too, leaving Drake and Riley. For some reason an awkward silence fell between them.

Drake ran his hand through his hair and then shoved both in his pockets, shuffling from foot to foot. “So...ah...how was lunch?”

“Pretty tense, but I found out my duchy is called Valtoria and I didn’t strangle Constantine so...I’d call it a success.”

Drake laughed nervously.

Riley studied his face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. “Umm...what’s going on here? You called me by my first name earlier and now you’re acting like you’re nervous around me. I know somethings up, so...”

Drake sighed. “I guess I’m just a little upset about the press conference. You were great, don’t get me wrong, you showed all the strength I knew you had, but...” He hesitated, looking down at the ground. Riley stepped in front of him, putting a finger under his chin so he would look at her. “Okay, okay,” he shrugged. “Neither you or Liam made it clear that you won’t be getting engaged, it was like you left the door open to the possibility...so we’re still in the shadows.”

Riley squeezed his hand. “Okay...number one, thank you for talking to me rather than keeping it bottled up. Number two, I feel exactly the same way you do. I hated having to answer that way but Liam and I never discussed how we’d address it and then when the question was directed at me...I just didn’t want to say anything to make things harder on him or embarrass him.”

“I get it, Nevin...I know neither of us wants to hurt him anymore than we already have. I guess I’m just tired of the hiding.”

Riley looked around the empty hall and then wrapped her arms around his neck. “Me too...but for just a little while longer, let’s pretend it’s exciting to sneak around. And while we’re hiding, maybe you could walk me to my room,” she said with a wink.

“You’re bad, Nevin.”

“You love it. Let’s go.”

They walked with a friendly distance between them till they got to Riley’s door. Once she had it unlocked, she pulled him inside and immediately brought her lips to his. With the long travel day and the obligations of the morning, it felt like it had been forever since their last kiss. Neither one of them wanted to be the first to pull away. They passionately explored each other’s mouth until they were desperate for air and had no choice but to part. Riley couldn’t get enough, kissing along his jawline and down his neck while her hands slipped under his shirt. “You know...I haven’t seen you without one these since the pool hall,” she said as her hands moved to the buttons.

Drake grabbed her hands, halting her progress, pulling her into another kiss. “Are you just using me for my body, Nevin?”

“Hmmm..” she said between kisses. “I think I’d actually have to have your body before I could use you for it.”

“Valid point...but we’re still not doing this now.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, seductively starting to take off her blazer and blouse. Drake watched hungrily until she stood before him in just her white lacy bra and jeans. In his minds eye he could picture the matching panties just beneath the layer of denim. 

Pulling her back to him, their lips met once again as he ran his hands over her silky soft skin. “Nice try, Nevin...you are gorgeous and nearly impossible to resist, but...”

“But what?” she pouted.

“You’re going to tell me I’m corny or call me a marshmallow but...I want our first time together to be special. Don’t take this the wrong way but I’ve had enough flings, sneaking off and giving into the moment, but...I love you, so I want it to be different than that.”

“You are a marshmallow but...it’s incredibly sweet, so who am I to deny you that. I must say...I didn’t think it was possible to find you any sexier but the more you open up to me, the more I want you. You’re setting a high bar here, Walker cause with all this build up, I’m expecting fireworks.”

“I can walk the walk, Nevin...you’ll get all the fireworks you can handle.” His gaze was intense, flicking between her eyes and lips and down to her breasts; he licked his lips hungrily. “I’m gonna go take a cold shower before I change my mind,” he whispered and with a kiss to her forehead, he was out the door.

Riley flopped down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Even with her heart sorted out, everything was still so fucking complicated.


	28. Perm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley spends a night out with her friends. Olivia joins them and Riley tries to encourage her to hold onto hope for love. Drake takes Riley on a drunk tour of the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm copying my note from my other work because it explains my delay in posting...HUGE apologies. UGH! I feel like every note is going to start with an apology. When I last posted I made a comment about life slowing down so I could write and I was either lying to myself or living in a fantasy land. While work began to wind down for the end of the year, I still had school and the holidays taking ALL my time. Between cookies for charity, baking for family and my husbands co-workers and having to put together Christmas myself since hubby works 14 hour days, 7 days a week this time of year, I just had my hands WAY too full. 
> 
> Changes here from canon aren't huge...just some adjustments and additions to the dialog.
> 
> Hope you are all well and enjoying the holidays!
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Man, look at you, been walking in here_ _  
Looking all pretty and angry and mean and good  
Now I know you didn't get your hair done  
So you could just sit down and just sit still  
Hey, we tryna have a good time tonight, let's go baby!  
  
_

With Riley spending the time quietly in her room, the afternoon passed and evening finally arrived. After a cold shower of her own, Riley had gotten ready and met her friends at the palace steps and now they were walking into the beer garden. The place was alive with chatter and music that had been spilling over the walls before they even got inside. It reminded Riley of Morgan’s Pier where she used to hang with friends when she’d go back to Philly for a visit. Picnic tables filled the space around the large open air bar. Trellises covered in climbing flowers lined the walls and strands of lights that looked like old fashion Edison bulbs were strung high above through the trees.

“Wow, this place is happening!” Hana exclaimed as they took it all in.

It was quite packed already and a few familiar faces from court were scattered throughout the crowd. “I guess we weren’t the only ones who wanted to unwind,” Drake said.

Riley clapped her hands, “who wants drinks?” She headed to the bar with Drake and Maxwell while Liam and Hana went in search of a table.

“This rounds on me,” Drake said.

Riley looked at him dumbfounded. “You’re buying us drinks?”

“Riley, you should check if he has a fever,” Maxwell said.

Drake glared at them both. “Ha ha. Can’t I be in a giving mood once in a while?”

“Not without explaining yourself,” Riley replied.

“Fine,” he said, rolling his eyes. “If you _must_ know…I got a text from Savannah today. She’s coming back to Cordonia.”

Riley started jumping up and down excitedly. “Oh my god! That is fantastic. You two can finally spend time together again.”

“Yeah. Yeah, we can. It’ll be good to catch up with her. Get to really know Bartie and uh, you could get to know her.”

“I would love that! But, I’m guessing you aren’t the only person she and Bartie are coming to see.” Riley nodded toward the far end of the garden where Bertrand was sitting alone, staring into a pint of beer.

Maxwell frowned. “Oh no.”

Drake looked back at Riley. “I’ll, er, let you two handle this. Meet you at the table.” He hurried off with the drinks while Maxwell and Riley cautiously walked up to Bertrand’s table. Bertrand sensed their presence and looked up from his beer.

“Lady Riley, Maxwell. I should have known you would find me here.”

Riley slid into a seat across from him. “Bertrand, I just want to start by saying, I’m sorry…I’m sure you heard about me and Liam from Maxwell and Justin by now and I…”

“There’s no need to explain yourself to me, Riley or apologize. I’m not angry.”

“You’re not?”

“Riley, it was pretty clear at the boutique that your heart wasn’t in it. Even I can see that if you turned down Liam’s proposal, your heart lies elsewhere. You have a chance at love, Riley. At happiness. Who am I to blame you for taking it?”

Bertrand sighed and looked back down sadly.

“You know, Bertrand…Savannah’s coming back to Cordonia.”

His head snapped up, shock all over his face, “She is?”

“Yeah,” Maxwell said, putting a comforting hand on his brother’s shoulder. “She could be here any day now.”

A brief look of hope crossed his face but was fleeting. “That’s…that’s good to know. I will be sure to give her plenty of space during her visit.”

Maxwell sighed in frustration, taking a seat and putting his head in his hands as Bertrand sipped his beer. Riley shook her head at both men. “Or, you could try talking to her. Face to face. I can tell you from first hand experience, holding back and not talking helps no one.”

“I consider myself lucky that she’s even willing to text me. The way that I…”

“You keep saying that you ruined things between you, but you haven’t even told us what happened.”

Maxwell nodded in agreement. “We didn’t want to push you to tell us, but…don’t we deserve to know?”

Bertrand let out a heavy sigh and recounted the night he saw Savannah in Paris, after the scene at the bachelor party. He had been nervous but trying hard to keep his cool. But when Savannah opened the door, all hope of remaining calm was lost. Seeing her had rendered him nearly speechless, unable to put together a coherent sentence. He had managed to stutter out something about declaring his intentions and Savannah seemed touched, which somehow made things worse. When Savannah had invited him in, his reaction to her apartment was somewhat underwhelming and awkward yet, she still found it endearing. Once they sat to talk, he just couldn’t get out of his own way. His attempts to apologize made it sound as if he regretted sleeping with her but he tried to recover, and came so close to telling her how he really felt, until they were interrupted by a cry from Bartie. 

When Bertrand laid eyes on the baby, his heart melted and he was overcome with pride, joy and regret. He moved close to hold his son’s hand, and Bartie spit up, splattering his shirt. Savannah was mortified and Bertrand was hit with the realization of how little he knew about babies and what Savannah had been through. Once he had cleaned up and Bartie was tended to, Savannah tried to pick up where they had left off. Bertrand’s overwhelming regret got the best of him and he began rambling about his responsibilities and fulfilling obligations. An obligation was the one thing Savannah had never wanted to be and she was hurt. But he couldn’t stop himself and started promising to no longer shirk his duties. The final blow was when he told her she obviously needed the help, implying that he could give Bartie so much more. Savannah was immediately offended and told him to leave if he came out of pity or obligation. Unable to recover and explain himself better, Bertrand decided to turn and go.

Riley and Maxwell stared at him in awe over how colossally he messed up, but the gravity of the situation still seemed somewhat lost on Bertrand. “And that was that. I should’ve known she was uninterested when she didn’t shake my hand or invite me to stay, but I still asked to be a part of her life.”

“Umm…is that really how you see it, Bertrand?” Riley asked. “Because I’m gonna give you the woman’s perspective…you didn’t ask to be part of her life…you stuck your foot in your mouth and damn near choked on it. I mean, for someone so focused on always saying the right thing, you said all the wrong things and, well, I don’t blame her for reacting the way she did.”

Bertrand was clearly offended. “I have no idea what you mean Lady Riley.”

“Okay…let me put it to you this way…when you went there, it seems as if your intention was to tell her that you care about her, that you’re sorry you said you couldn’t be together and that you want to be with her and support her and raise your son together…does that cover it?”

“Yes, yes, those were exactly my intentions.”

“Okay, perfect…now here’s what you _actually_ said…you regret everything that happened between you except for the sex part, but she should have told you and allowed you to fulfill your duties and that she and your son are obligations, as well as telling her that now that you are involved, you can give Bartie a better life than she has for last seven months of doing it alone…you basically called her a bad mother.”

“No, no…I…oh my god, you’re right.” Bertrand knocked back the rest of his beer and put his head in his hands.

“Relax Bertrand…you need to get your shit together and try again. You let your nerves get the better of you. It was a misunderstanding, a bad misunderstanding, but a misunderstanding nonetheless. You can fix it.”

“Save me your encouragements.” Bertrand clutched his empty pint glass, looking nearer to tears than either Riley or Maxwell had ever seen him. Maxwell gestured to Riley that they should go.

“Riley, let’s give him some space for now.”

Riley stood and placed her hand on Bertrand’s shoulder. “Just…know that there’s hope.” They left Bertrand staring into his empty glass and found the table where Hana, Liam, Drake and Olivia were waiting.

“Ah look, Riley’s deigned to join us,” Olivia scoffed.

“Nice to see you too, Olivia. I’m glad you’re here…tonight’s been lacking in the biting sarcasm department,” Riley said as she climbed in to the space between Drake and Liam on the bench.

“I didn’t come here to entertain you.”

“See, that’s the thing, you don’t even have to try.”

Maxwell slid into the empty spot beside Olivia. “Have a drink with us, Olivia.”

“If I _must…_ ”

Everyone clinked their glasses together and Riley took a tentative sip, thankful to find Drake remembered her hatred of beer and got her a hard cider. “It’s good to be home among friends,” Liam said.

“ _Mostly_ among friends,” Drake said, glaring at Olivia.

“For your sake, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” she replied.

They sat around enjoying their drinks with Liam going for a second round. As they chatted, the crowds around them slowly started to clear out, some more wobbly than others while leaving. “It’s even later than I thought,” Liam said.

Drake leaned forward and looked down the table at his friend. “Don’t tell me you need to head back to the palace.”

“Need to? Not necessarily. But I probably _should…_ ”

“Come on, Liam,” Maxwell said, encouraging him to stay.

“We haven’t even gotten to dancing yet,” Hana proclaimed.

“What about you, Riley? Do you want the party to stop here?”

Riley stole a quick glance at Liam, who looked a little forlorn. She desperately wanted things to get back to normal and hoped that staying would be a step toward that. “Let the party….continue.”

“You heard her,” Maxwell yelled, excitedly jumping from his seat. He raced over to the music machine and selected an upbeat song, perfect for dancing and cranked up the volume.

“That’s more like it,” Riley shouted. “I propose a toast to us. There’s no one else I’d rather be here with.”

Everyone raised their glasses, except Olivia. Riley gave her a pointed look and she sighed and lifted her glass to theirs. “You are all…a decent source of entertainment.”

“We try,” Riley laughed.

After the toast, Maxwell was quickly back on his feet, assessing his dancing check list. “Music, check. Audience, check. We have almost everything we need for a dance party….except more drinks.”

“I’m on it.” Riley raced over to the bar and secured refills for everyone. Luckily she hadn’t lost her skill and was able to carry all six glasses. Before she could reach the table though, she heard two familiar voices and turned to see Penelope and Kiara sitting in the corner. She stopped and smiled at the two women. “Hi you guys.”

Kiara glanced up but didn’t return her smile. “Lady Riley, I suppose you’ve come to gloat now that you’ve ousted Madeline from the court.”

Penelope attempted to meet her gaze but was too intoxicated and seeing double.

“I take no pleasure in what happened to Madeline and I honestly wish her nothing but the best. I simply stopped to say that despite everything that has happened, I hope we can all still be friends.”

“Really?” Penelope slurred.

“Yes. I think the social season was hard on all of us and I understand your loyalty to Madeline during the tour. I don’t hold any of that, or what _others_ asked you to do, against you.”

Penelope was clearly an emotional drunk as she began to cry and Kiara looked shocked. “That’s…very kind of you, Lady Riley,” Kiara said.

“This calls for another drink,” Penelope declared.

“Non, Penelope, c’est assez. I’ll get you some water.” 

Riley bid them goodnight and returned to her own table. “Drinks achieved. Where am I supposed to dance my heart out in this place?”

“There’s plenty of space, if you know where to look,” Maxwell said. Hopping up on an empty nearby table, Maxwell began to dance and shimmy to the beat, coming precariously close to the edge of the table with each new movement. Riley decided to join him and jumped up on a table of her own. Their friends sat watching and cheering as they tried to outdo each other with their moves.

Drake cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted, “I think she’s got you beat.”

“We’ll call it a tie,” Maxwell hollered back.

Drake and Liam stood up and started grabbing other empty tables, putting them end to end to create a dance floor. Drake started dragging a table from where Rashad and Neville were sitting nearby.

“We might have been using that,” Rashad scoffed.

“It wasn’t even touching yours,” Drake hissed.

“That’s not the point,” Neville declared in his usual pretentious air, “A _gentleman_ would have asked.”

Unwilling to engage with them any further, Drake gave them a pointed glare and continued dragging the table away. Riley witnessed the whole exchanged. “Ugh, his name should be in the dictionary under pompous.”

Hana stood up with fire in her eyes. “Everyone…wait here. There’s something I need to do.”

Filled with determination, she strode over to Neville and Rashad’s table.

“Lady Hana! What a delight to find such a radiant flower in so base a setting,” Neville said. “I told you she’d be back, Rashad. A woman in her situation simply can’t resist my charmi…”

“I’m not interested!” Hana declared, cutting him off.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You…are self-absorbed and stuck up and…boring! I will _never_ be interested in you. And that blazer will never be your color.”

Hana relished in the shock on his face, turning on her heel to walk away. Neville stared after her, unable to overcome the shock while Rashad simply gripped his beer trying to decide whether or not to laugh.

“That…fell… _amazing,_ ” Hana said when she rejoined her friends.

Maxwell looked at her, beaming with pride. “Damn! Overly-honest Hana is my new hero!”

Olivia surprisingly chuckled. “The blazer line was particularly cutting.”

“I didn’t even know what I was going to say until I was standing in front of him. Do you think it was too much?”

“It was perfect,” Riley said. “The look on Neville’s face was priceless.”

Drake nodded in agreement. “I’d pay good money to watch that again.”

Riley gestured to their newly assembled dance floor. “This calls for a celebration.”

Hana was the first to leap on the table, performing a series of elegant moves as her arms traced graceful arcs in the air. Liam was watching her with great appreciation. “When did you learn the Cordonian harvest dance?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure which traditional dances were still in fashion at court…so my parents had me learn all twenty-six of them.”

They all looked at Hana wide-eyed but she continued to move to the beat, unaware of their amazement.

“Olivia, what about you? I bet you secretly know how to cut loose,” Maxwell said.

“I am quite content with my drink. It will give me a better view when one of you falls off that table.”

“Hey, we’re a coordinated bunch,” Drake said. He finished the last of his beer and climbed up on the table with Hana and Maxwell and immediately almost tumbled off until Maxwell caught him.

Olivia threw her head back with devious laughter. “My money’s on Drake falling first.”

“Mock me all you want, Olivia. But I’m still going to have a good time.”

Riley stood with Liam, laughing together as they watched their friends dance. She loved seeing Drake this loose and Liam seemed to agree. “I think he’s doing the ‘happy Drake’. A rare sight,” he said.

“Aren’t you going to get up there, Liam? Or is it in bad taste for the king to dance on tables?”

“I don’t know. All my training has been in partnered dances rather than…that,” he said pointing to the gyrating trio. Maxwell was trying to teach Drake how to Dougie. “I am happy to watch and just enjoy the company. How about you Riley? How does it feel to be back home?”

“Home…hmmm, I think I am still getting used to that. You know, I haven’t even told my family I’m staying. Overall, I am so glad to be back, but I’m nervous about what comes next…being here makes all the coming changes feel more real. It’s all good, but I can’t help feeling nervous.”

Liam looked down at her, the gentle affection still evident in his gaze. “I understand. Just know that wherever we go from here…all of us…you will never be alone.”

“I know.” Riley hesitated for a moment but pulled Liam into a quick hug and was startled by Hana yelling from the table tops.

“Riley! What are you still doing down there?”

“I’m coming. I’m coming.”

Riley climbed up on the tables just as a lively folk song began to play and quickly sidled up to Drake as she began to go through the moves. Drake was hesitant at first but managed to pick up the steps and keep time with her. As they continued to move to the music, Riley caught Drake smiling at her with a look of unbridled joy that she had never seen from him. “That was…fun, Nevin,” he said as the song came to an end.

“Yeah…yeah it was,” she said, smiling back and lost in his eyes for a moment.

With the song over, everyone climbed down to catch their breath. Hana went to get everyone waters and Riley noticed Olivia sitting off on her own.

“Not in the mood for dancing,” she asked as she joined the red-head at the otherwise empty table.

“I’m perfectly content where I am,” Olivia replied coldly as she absentmindedly drummed her fingers on the side of her beer glass. She briefly looked up and glanced over at Liam but quickly turned back to look down at the table, never once looking at Riley.

“You don’t _look_ very content.”

“And yet you do,” she said, finally looking up with a sad expression on her face. Unable to maintain the eye contact, she looked away, her gaze straying toward Liam again and she sighed. “You had the chance I’ve always dreamed of, Riley, and you threw it away. I can guess why you did it. But you’ll have to forgive me if being around you is…complicated, right now.”

“Olivia, I’m sorry, but I had to follow my heart. You always dreamed of it because you love him…I don’t.”

“I know. I might have done the same. But it will take time for me to stop thinking about what you could have had. What _I_ could have had before you came along.”

“I understand. If I were you, I’d probably be mad at me too. I know you think he’d be settling for second best if he chose to be with you now, but…you’d be wrong. One day you will both see that he didn’t really love _me_ …he loved the _idea_ of me.”

“I’m trying not to be mad, Riley…I am.”

“That means a lot.” Riley stood and hugged a reluctant Olivia. “If he’s what would make you happy, don’t give up,” she whispered. Olivia just looked at her sadly and nodded.

Hana, Liam and Drake had finished putting the tables back in place while Maxwell went to turn down the music.

“It’s nearly midnight” Liam said. “This time we really _should_ end the evening’s festivities.”

“Let’s go home,” Riley agreed.

The group decided to walk home since it was such a beautiful night. Drake straggled along at the back, humming faintly to himself. Riley dropped back next to him. “Drake, are you…drunk?”

“Nooo way, Nevin. I don’t _get_ drunk,” he replied in an exaggerated tone, slightly slurring his words. “Maybe _you’re_ drunk.”

“Uh huh...”

“I’m just...happy. We’re home, Savannah’s coming home...you like me for some reason...”

“Okay, you’ve definitely had more drinks than I thought...it’s pretty adorable. And, by the way, I love you, for a lot of reasons.”

“My point is, things are going good. For everyone.”

“It’s about time,” Riley said unenthusiastically; her gaze falling on Liam walking just in front of them as they walked through the palace gates.

“Hey, how about a palace tour tonight? Just you, me and old portraits of stuffy people?”

“Umm...you do know I’ve lived in the palace for six months now, right? I’ve seen it.”

“Nah, Nevin. You’ve seen the palace the way the royal family _wants_ you to see it.” Drake leaned in real close, his lips right against her ear, “I can show you the palace...like you’ve never seen it before.”

“Oh, oh...are we talking secret rooms?” Riley said excitedly.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.”

Riley frowned. “Good point.”

“So, you coming or what?”

“I’m in. Where does this tour start?”

“Just keep up with me, Nevin.”

After saying their good nights, everyone headed to their rooms and Drake led Riley through the palace to the grand ballroom.

“The ballroom? I think I’ve been here more than my bedroom. Did you bring me here to show me the tables?”

“Come on, Nevin, you’ve got to look deeper than that. Really take in the scenery.”

“Such as?”

“See how part of that chandelier is shinier than the rest? And how those flower petals in the...the...” Drake stared up at the ceiling while he struggled for the word he was looking for.

“The molding?”

“Yeah, that stuff! See where a couple of them got replaced?”

Drake walked closer, pointing out the imperfections in each item. The differences were so subtle they’d be impossible to notice without a guide. “Where do you think those came from?”

“Hmmm...my guess is you and Liam.”

“Damn, Nevin. How’d you know?”

“I’d say based on the minimal damage, I can rule out a natural disaster but honestly you just seemed way too proud of it. So what happened?”

“There was this super rainy winter one year. I’m talking cats and dogs for days. So after awhile, me and Liam decided to play some indoor soccer.”

“That can only end well,” Riley laughed.

“I’m great at soccer. Best defense in the palace,” he said proudly. “So, when Liam got frustrated and tried a shot from across the room…” Drake began dramatically swing his arms around, miming the trajectory of the ball bouncing from the chandelier to the wall to the floor, providing sound effects of the whole event.

Riley watched him affectionately, laughing at his masterful reenactment. “Did you get in trouble?”

“…Nothing your old pal Drake Walker couldn’t handle.”

“To think, this top-secret palace history has been in front of my eyes this whole time…”

Drake smiled widely. Feeling satisfied with himself, he moved to lean against the wall and nearly missed but clumsily recovered just in time. “Whoa. H-hey. Do you want to know another secret?”

“Sure…what’ve you got?”

“…This way!” 

An unsteady Drake grabbed Riley’s hand and led her out of the ballroom and down a series of hallways she had walked many times, finally ending up in the hallway to her room. Drake stopped about halfway down and frowned at the wall.

“Uh, Drake? I’ve walked this hallway dozens of times.”

“No, no,” he said looking around confused. “This isn’t it. You’ve gotta look…out here!” Drake walked up to one of the windows that looked out over the palace grounds. It was nothing spectacular, just ordinary landscaping. “This is my faaaavorite view of the h…the whole…palace. I like how you can _see_ through it, even though you can’t move through it.” He placed his hands on the cool glass as if testing whether or not he could pass through. “And there’s so much…stuff…out there.”

Riley looked back and forth between him and the view out the window, trying to figure out why it meant so much to him. She was coming up empty but didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “It sure is…something.”

“I wanted to show it to you cause it’s pretty. And Riley…I mean, Nevin… _you’re_ pretty, so you and this view belong together.”

Riley lifted her hand to his cheek. “Oh my goodness, you’re adorable. I never knew drunk Drake could be so poetic.”

Drake brought his hand up to cover hers and looked at her with such adoration. “I’m not drunk. You’re just _really_ sober.”

“Well, thank you for taking me to such a romantic spot.”

“I’ve wanted to take you to this window for a long time.”

Removing her hand, she stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. “That’s…very sweet.”

Drake blushed and touched his hand to where she had just kissed him. “I was hoping you’d think so.” Drake looked back to the window and once again appeared confused. “Oh, wait. This isn’t the spot. It’s this window over here. C’mon!”

Drake moved down the hall to another window as Riley followed close behind. He presented the window for her to look out and she found yet another uninspiring view. “Riiight…I totally see the difference, this is much better” she said, hoping he was too drunk to pick up on her sarcasm. “So, was this the secret you promised me?”

“Secret?” Drake concentrated hard, trying to remember what he had promised. Riley waited patiently, smiling as he scrunched his nose and got that little wrinkle between his eyes like when they played pool. Finally his eyes lit up. “I remembered the other funny thing about this hallway.”

“Funny?…but what about…”

“Kiara’s room is right over here.”

“Ummm…why would I care about Kiara’s room?”

Drake gave no reply, simply guiding Riley a few doors down where there was an embossed sign bearing Kiara’s name hanging outside. Drake knocked but there was no reply. “No one’s home.”

Riley was not by nature a overly jealous person but recalling how Kiara flirted with Drake throughout the engagement tour, she felt the little green-eyed monster beginning to rear its ugly head. “Why do you want to talk to Kiara in the middle of the night?”

“I don’t,” he said simply. “I want to prank her.”

Riley let out a relieved laugh. “You are like a whole new person right now.”

“Come on, Nevin. Are we doing this or not?”

“I’m totally onboard, let’s prank her.”

“Yeah!” Drake exclaimed, moving closer to the door. He patted down his shirt pocket, looking disappointed and then moved to his jeans pockets. “I didn’t actually plan for this part” he admitted.

Riley pulled a bobby pin from her hair and moved in front of him to pick the lock.

“Damn, Nevin…impressive.”

They moved carefully into the room, looking around at the space that Kiara clearly kept neat and tidy. “So…what are we doing? You got any ideas?” Drake asked.

“Hmmmm…we should put shampoo in her bed.”

Drake looked at her in awe. “You didn’t tell me you were an evil genius.”

“I grew up with an older brother so I learned a thing or two. Pranking people is one of my many talents.”

“Don’t let me get on your bad side.”

Together they crept into the bathroom and found an array of shampoos, conditioners and other hair products. They selected two of the largest bottles so they’d have enough to cover the king size bed. Riley pulled back the covers and squeezed the contents all over and carefully began spreading it. Drake squeezed more on to the underside of the top sheet so Kiara would be fully sandwiched in the goop. Once they were satisfied with their work, Drake grabbed a bottle of hair spray and sprayed it generously all over the pillows. They remade the bed to hide the mess and stood back to examine their work.

Drake cracked up laughing. “This stuff belongs on her hair.”

“Not anymore. When you pull a prank, you’ve gotta go big or go home!”

They ducked back out into the hall and quietly closed the door. Drake took Riley by the hand. “Let me take you to our last stop.”

Finally, Drake was leading her through parts of the palace she had barely seen before. The hallways were maze-like and she had no idea where they were headed. They arrived in front of a heavy wooden door that Drake held open, ushering her into a deserted library.

“Whoa,” Riley exclaimed. The room was almost as large as the ballroom and had two stories. The walls were lined floor to ceiling with books, many of which looked decades old. “Can this be my room from now on?”

“Nope, I found it first,” Drake said.

Riley laughed. “I was mostly kidding. I bet this is still an active library anyway. Did you bring me here to read to me?”

Without responding, Drake moved along the walls, frowning in concentration and tracing his hand along the book spines. He was so engrossed in his search that he nearly walked into a pillar. “Where did it…” Narrowly missing the pillar, his shoulder glanced against it and suddenly there was a rumbling sound. Dust began to rise from the shelves in front of him as a panel in the wall slowly swung open. “Oh. I found it! Come on, Nevin.”

Taking her hand, they stepped through the panel into a stone tunnel with lanterns lining the wall. It appeared to be long but Riley couldn’t see anything beyond six feet for so. “Welcome…to my secret passage,” Drake declared.

“Where does it go?”

“A dead end. That part’s no fun. The cool part is just…this passage. It’s like a…special hideout. That’s what I used it for, growing up. Whenever I got too fed up with all the phony smiles and parties…I’d come here. Where nobody could find me. Even Liam doesn’t know about this place.”

“But…now I do. You said no secret rooms; why bring me here?”

Drake looked at her sheepishly. “I thought, now that you’re gonna be a duchess and all…if you ever get tired of dealin’ with the court…You can come hide out here too, Riley.”

“You just did it again.”

“Did what?”

“Called me Riley.”

Drake ran his hand through his hair and then scratched his chin, thinking hard. “I…oh. I did, didn’t I. That’s…ah…that’s the secret I was gonna tell you. About your name. It’s not as awesome as this, though,” he said, waving his hand around the passage.

“Well, I still want to hear it. You just call Liam and Hana, Liam and Hana, and for the most part you call Maxwell by his name with only the occasional Beaumont thrown in when you’re annoyed with him. Why are you always calling me Nevin?”

Drake sat down on a stone step, running his hands through his hair again as he seemed to be searching for words. “The truth is…I started calling you Nevin ‘cause I didn’t want us to get close when you first came here. I already kinda knew I was in trouble and I thought maybe by calling you that, I could keep you at a distance. I didn’t want to get…used to you. But you kept sticking around, and being you, and after that…I didn’t want you to know how I felt. So now Nevin’s just my thing. Our thing. I guess.” He looked up at her, watching for a reaction. “I can’t believe I called you Riley. Felt kinda weird.”

Riley sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I have loved you calling me Nevin all along. And I’m glad your plan didn’t work. Thank you for telling me.”

“Thank _you._ ”

Riley giggled. “Do you mean ‘you’re welcome’?”

“No, no, no. Thank you for goin’ on this tour with me.”

“I’d go anywhere with you. And if I could give this tour a rating, it’d get five stars.”

Drake gave her a soft, sweet kiss. “Then my work here is done.”

After closing up the passage and the library, Drake walked Riley back to the hallway outside her room. When they arrived at her door, Riley turned and looked into his eyes. “Maybe I can give you a tour of my room some other time.”

Drake seemed to be taking a moment to take in her words and his eyes finally focused with more clarity than they had all night. “I-I’d like that, Nevin. I’d _really_ like that. But tonight…I’m not exactly all here. If you’re talking about the kind of tour I think you’re talking about…I don’t want to miss a thing.”

“I know…doesn’t exactly fit the idea of _special_ that we talked about. Another time, then. Maybe when you’re more…awake?” she said as Drake tried to fight a yawn.

“Yeah…another time. I won’t forget.”

“Can I at least get a hug before you go?”

Drake stepped up and wrapped her in a gentle hug. After holding her for a few moments she began to feel the weight of his body as he leaned against her sleepily.

“You’re…my favorite person, Nevin.”

“I know, Drake. You’re my favorite person too. And _you_ need some sleep.”

Drake stepped out of the embrace and rubbed his eyes. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Riley leaned in and stood on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. A blush rose to his cheeks and a wide smile crossed his face as he rubbed his cheek. “Th-thanks, Nevin.”

“Goodnight, Drake.”


	29. This Is Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley gets an early wake up call to prepare for the Homecoming Ball. Hana and Olivia help her pick a dress and Riley and Hana get some quiet time alone. Savannah returns which complete throws Bertrand for a loop. The Homecoming Ball gets underway and Riley comes face to face with one person she was hoping to avoid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers! I hope everyone is doing well in the new year. So far it looks like 2021 is a continuation of the 2020 craziness! Things are still as busy as ever in my world so unfortunately I am still running at a 2-3 week clip in terms of posting new chapters but I appreciate you all SO much for sticking around! Writing has truly been an outlet for me in these crazy times and I love hearing from you all. This chapter sticks close to canon with some added exposition, a few changes to dialog and one original scene. I will say Riley comes across as a bit of a brat/bitch in the original scene but for anyone who has experienced grief, you'll know that its an avalanche of emotions...sadness, anger, guilt...it basically runs the gambit and sometimes we don't always express it in the best way possible. Riley is still deeply grieving her mom here and that contributes to her reaction so please don't hate her.
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_When the sharpest words wanna cut me down  
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out  
I am brave, I am bruised  
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me_

Riley had gotten a peaceful nights sleep, happy to be back in her own bed at the palace. Though some things were still unsettled; she hadn’t seen her duchy and she and Drake still weren’t public, this was the most at ease she had felt in months. She woke the next morning to the familiar knock at her door. No social season, no tour, but she could always count on her human alarm clock. Throwing on her robe, she padded to the door and opened it to find not just Maxwell, but Bertrand too.

“With you guys around, I never have to worry about oversleeping.”

“Good, because there will be no slacking in House Beaumont,” Bertrand said as he pushed past her into the room.

“Not when there’s a Homecoming Ball to attend,” Maxwell added.

“It’s almost time to celebrate in style,” Riley exclaimed.

Bertrand stood looking at her with his signature serious expression. “Celebrate, yes, but don’t think the pressure is off simply because you’ve achieved your goal.”

“Must you always be a killjoy? Exactly what pressure are you talking about?”

“Your reputation may be repaired, but as a newly appointed duchess, you’re really in Cordonia’s limelight. Don’t make yourself a laughingstock. How you comport yourself tonight will affect not only your standing at court, but also House Beaumont’s.”

“Really, Bertrand? I can’t believe we’re still on this after six months. I have literally never done anything to embarrass myself or House Beaumont. My image was only tarnished by what was done _to_ me.”

Maxwell stepped up hoping to play peacekeeper. “We know, Ri...it’s just important because if it looks like Liam made a bad choice by making you duchess, it’ll call his judgment into question as king. _We_ know he made the best choice in the world, but you’ve got to show them that.”

“You’ve won the race...now don’t trip over the finish line,” Bertrand added.

“After everything I’ve been through, I think I can handle this. I owe Liam a lot, I wouldn’t do anything to make him look like a fool.”

Bertrand nodded as an expression that could actually pass for a smile crossed his face. “Usually I’d tell you not to be overconfident...but I think you’ve earned this one.”

Maxwell threw his arm around Riley’s shoulders. “Yeah, you’re going to do great.”

Riley looked back and forth between the brothers. The ball was still hours away but clearly they had come for a reason. “So...what do you want me to do?”

“You can start by visiting the palace boutique. You will need to look exceptionally regal tonight,” Bertrand said. “In fact, Hana should already be there waiting for you.”

“So...what I’m hearing is ‘no breakfast’?”

“There will be time for that once you’ve selected a gown.”

“Fine, let me feed Fletcher and change, then I’ll be on my way.”

Maxwell sat down on the floor to play with the dog while Riley got him some food and water. “You are the cutest noble,” Maxwell cooed. “Duke Fletcher Nevin the Wiggly of Houses Valtoria and Beaumont, barker at cars and protector of the food bowl.”

Riley laughed at Maxwell’s goofiness and set down the bowls before stepping into the closet to quickly change. Fletcher ran across the room and excitedly ate his meal and Riley stepped out in jeans and t-shirt. “Okay, I’m ready to get going. You coming, Maxwell?”

Maxwell looked hesitantly at Bertrand. “I wish I could but Savannah is getting in today and Drake and I promised to meet her as soon as she arrives.”

Bertrand’s jaw dropped. “Savannah...Savannah will be here TODAY?”

“Y-yeah. And she’s coming to the ball. I guess that makes it doubly appropriate as a Homecoming Ball.”

Bertrand’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, falling into a wingback chair, full of panic.

Riley stepped up and crouched down in front of him. “Hey, Bertrand...deep breaths. You’re going to be okay.”

“Sorry...I wasn’t sure if she had told you,” Maxwell said.

Bertrand sighed. “She didn’t...which is just one more indication that she has no interest in my participation in her life.”

Maxwell shook his head in protest. “I don’t think she wants you to give up.”

Bertrand took a shaky breath and rose from the chair, straightening his sport coat. “Never mind all that. You need to go Riley and I have other matters to attend to.”

Riley followed Maxwell and Bertrand out of her room and they all went their separate ways. As she entered the hallway toward the boutique, she saw Justin lingering outside the door and rolled her eyes when he waved excitedly at her. “Riley, I thought I might find you here!”

“Well, it’s an easy assumption since I seem to spend half my time in boutiques,” she replied dryly. “I assume you came to help pick a dress.”

“Oh no, I’ll leave that to the experts. I’m here to congratulate you...and to thank you.”

“To thank me for what?”

“Bertrand says that tonight is my last night in his employ, now that you’ve achieved your goals.”

“ _Oh, thank God,_ ” Riley thought to herself.

“Riley, it’s been an honor working with you,” he continued. “I have learned a lot throughout the engagement tour and more of it than I expected was from you, rather than from the circumstances. You really impressed me, kid.”

Riley was a little taken aback and wondered for a moment if she had been to hard on him. “Um...wow, thanks Justin.”

“I hope I’ll get to work for you in the future. Maybe our paths will cross again.”

Her mind was screaming “ _Don’t count on it,_ ” but with great force and effort she managed to filter herself. “You never know what the future holds,” she shrugged.

“I know this much...I’m sure you have a very exciting future in store for you.”

“Thanks. Will you be at the party tonight?”

“Free drinks and a chance to rub elbows with a bunch of rich scandals-in-waiting? I wouldn’t miss it. Besides, I want to be there for your big debut. I earned that celebration too.”

At that point, all she wanted was for the conversation to end. It was getting harder to bite her tongue and not tell him what an opportunist he was. Thankfully, before her mouth could get her in trouble, he gave her the out.

“Well, I better not keep you any longer. You have a big day ahead of you.”

Riley nodded and feigned a smile as she opened the door to the boutique. “See you tonight, Justin.”

When she got inside, Hana was waiting for her as promised, with a surprise guest...Olivia. Both women were thumbing through the racks of ball gowns. Hana turned at the sound of the door closing and her eyes lit up. “Hey Riley! They restocked the boutique with some absolutely stunning gowns while we were gone.”

“Rightly so,” Olivia said, still scanning the clothes. “Their selection was growing rather tired before the tour.”

Riley noticed that Olivia was already wearing the red sequin gown she had worn for the Coronation. “Olivia, you don’t look like you came here for a dress.”

“I came to get some shoes. But I did find something that might make you look less...tragic,” she said, eyeing Riley in her jeans and t-shirt with a hint of disgust.

“You picked a dress out? For me?” Riley said in surprise.

“No need to make a fuss,” Olivia scoffed. “I just don’t want you to embarrass Liam when he officially presents you to court as a duchess.”

“And I found something that would look magical on you,” Hana interjected.

“Okay...let’s take a look at the options.”

Hana’s selection was a baby pink gown with a fitted bodice, dramatic sweetheart neckline and delicate spaghetti straps. The skirt was very full with layers upon layers of tulle that reminded Riley of cotton candy. Hana had also picked out a matching pink diamond tiara to complete the look. Riley would never hurt her friend’s feelings, but the outfit was not her taste at all. It was Hana’s first ‘miss’ in all the time they’d been dressing together.

Next, Olivia presented her selection. The gold gown sparkled in the soft light of the boutique and Riley could just imagine how much more dramatic it would look under the lights at the ball. The bodice was fitted and off the shoulder and the neckline had the look of flowers and leaves in the same color gold as the rest of the gown. There was an illusion panel clear down to the top of the skirt which wasn’t has full as the pink gown and more importantly, wasn’t tulle. Olivia had also selected a tiara, classic diamonds, to top it off.

Riley took both gowns into the fitting room and as expected, she hated the pink dress the minute she put it on. After struggling out of the cotton candy explosion, she pulled on the gold gown and fell in love instantly. She stepped out of the fitting room and did a twirl. “This is the one.”

Olivia smiled smugly, walking over and clasping a diamond drop necklace around her neck. “So you’ve decided to develop some taste. There may be hope for you yet.”

“Oh Riley, you look so regal,” Hana said, seemingly unphased that her dress hadn’t been selected.

“I feel very regal.”

Hana moved to give Riley a hug while Olivia headed for the door. “Well, now that that’s taken care of, I think I will go do literally anything else.”

“Olivia, wait.” Riley caught her just before she was out the door. Olivia arched her eyebrow, looking at Riley expectantly. “With the engagement tour done and the investigation over...what are you going to do after the Homecoming Ball?”

A slight frown crossed Olivia’s lips. “I need to return to Lythikos. I’ve been away far too long as it is.”

“I understand. It won’t be the same here without you. But before you go, I want to make sure you know...I really do consider you a friend.”

Olivia’s expression changed to one of shock before softening. “I...I suppose I’ll relish your absence in my life the least. After Liam’s, that is.”

Riley moved a step closer and spoke in a hushed tone. “I hope you take what I told you to heart...don’t give up, Olivia.”

Olivia regarded her thoughtfully and nodded. “Time, Riley...I think he needs it as much as I do. And with me back in Lythikos for now, we’ll both have it.”

“Don’t stay away too long! Who is Drake going to bicker with?”

Olivia laughed. “I’m confident that Drake can manage to bicker with nearly anyone if he sets his mind to it.”

Riley giggled and nodded in agreement. “You’re probably right about that.”

“If you’re ever in the neighborhood, feel free to drop in.”

“Oh, can I get the room with the hot tub?”

“Absolutely not! But we have several choice dungeons I’d be more than happy to prepare for you.”

“Sounds...delightful. I’ll let you know.”

Riley gave a reluctant Olivia a quick hug before finally letting her leave. When she turned back into the boutique she found Hana returning dresses to the racks. Riley went into the fitting room and changed back into her own clothes. “I guess we should get out of here. Let the other ladies have a turn,” she said when she came out.

“You’re right. Besides, if you have the time, I prepared something for us to enjoy before the ball.”

“Hmmm...I’m intrigued.”

Hana told Riley about a lake that was just a short walk from the palace. With Drake and Maxwell tied up with Savannah and hours left before the ball, she had plenty of time. Riley stored her dress in a garment bag and left it on the sold rack to pick up later and headed off. Hana led her out of the palace on a winding path through the gardens and past the apple orchard until they passed through the palace gates. A little while later they arrived at a dock overlooking a lake so still that the surface of the water looked like glass. Riley had never even known a lake was so close by. Hana explained that she found it while on a walk during the social season. They sat down on the dock with the snacks and wine that Hana had brought. While they enjoyed the treats, they discussed the future. Hana was struggling with knowing that she couldn’t go home. Even though she could stay at the palace, the rest of the court would be gone and she’d be alone. Riley assured her she’d always have a home in Cordonia and offered her a place in Valtoria. As the day wore on, they cleaned up their picnic and headed back to the palace for Riley to get ready. When they got back, Hana split off and Riley headed to her room after grabbing her gown. In the hallway outside her door, she found Maxwell standing with Savannah and Bartie.

“Savannah, you’re back.” Riley walked up and pulled Savannah into a hug, careful not to squish Bartie.

“Riley! It’s so good to see you!”

When Riley pulled back, she noticed Drake, who she hadn’t initially seen, standing beside his sister failing to suppress a smile. He looked incredibly sexy in the suit Maxwell had gotten for him the night of Liam’s bachelor party in Paris.

“You have good timing, Nevin.”

“I guess so,” she replied, smiling at him. “Looks like the gangs all here.”

“We are. For the first time in a long time.” Drake threw an arm over his sister’s shoulders. “I’m...I’m really glad you’re back, Savannah.”

Savannah wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled him into a one-armed hug, still supporting Bartie in her other arm.

Riley was touched watching Drake with his sister. “You all look so cozy. I don’t remember the last time I saw Drake willingly participate in a hug.”

“Yeah, I think I even saw him smile,” Maxwell added.

“It isn’t every day your sister and nephew come back to court.”

“I feel honored,” Savannah said. “So...Riley...congratulations on becoming a duchess. The court could use more people like you.”

“Awww, thanks Savannah.”

“You know, between Maxwell and Drake, you’re practically all I hear about. I feel like we’re friends already.” Savannah glanced at Drake, a hint of mischief in her eye, before leaning in to whisper, not so subtly to Riley. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you and my brother are an item.” Drake’s cheeks blushed a bright red. Before Riley could respond, the smile faded from Savannah’s face and her eyes went wide. Riley followed her gaze to the end of the hallway and saw Bertrand who had frozen in his tracks.

“S-Savannah...” he stammered.

“Hello, Bertrand.”

Bertrand took a few tentative steps toward them. “I just...came to speak with Riley. I had no idea you’d be here.”

Savannah frowned. “Oh...I thought maybe- -“

Drake jumped into protective big brother mode, scowling at Bertrand. “Bertrand, just say whatever you came to say to Riley and get out of here.”

Riley gestured for Bertrand to follow her. “Let’s talk. In private.” She led Bertrand away from the family reunion and Maxwell followed. “So...are you sure it was me you came to talk to?” she asked once they were out of earshot.

“I’m quite certain I didn’t mean to impose my presence on her when she’s clearly uninterested. Now, I have some...business to attend to.” 

Though he hadn’t actually said anything to Riley as he claimed he needed to, he turned to go. Before he could walk away, Savannah approached, bouncing Bartie on her hip. “Bertrand...it’s nice to see you again.”

“Yes...” he said. Unable to muster any other words, he allowed an awkward silence to hang in the air before turning and taking off down the hall. Savannah’s eyes filled with tears and Drake was quickly at her side to usher her away.

Riley and Maxwell were left standing together in the hall wondering what the hell just happened. “That was...hard to watch,” Maxwell said. “If they would only talk to each other, I think they could work things out.”

“Maybe...though Bertrand might need a little help, and you know he won’t ask for it.”

“Yeah” Maxwell said sadly. Noticing the garment bag in Riley’s hand, he eyed it with curiosity so she opened it to give him a peek. “If that’s the dress Hana picked out, she really outdid herself. No one at the ball will be able to take their eyes off of you.”

“Thanks, but actually, Olivia picked this one.”

“Huh...a new player has entered the game.”

Riley chuckled and closed up the bag, heading into her room followed closely by Maxwell. “Hey, Ri...I was thinking of maybe getting some air before the ball. Stretch my legs, get a little warm up before I break it down on the dance floor. Do you wanna come?”

“Thanks, Max but I still have to shower and do my hair and make-up before the ball.”

“Sounds good. I’ll leave you to it! See you at the party!”

Maxwell headed out the door, leaving Riley to her preparations. Two hours later, she was freshly showered, her hair styled in a half up-do with gentle curls cascading down her back and her make-up painstakingly applied with the help of a YouTube video on glittery smoky eyes. The sparkling tiara topped it all off. 

With a little time left to kill, Riley decided it was time to call her dad. It was a conversation she’d been avoiding and logically she knew it was the wrong time. But, she was being the bigger person; she wanted him to hear from her that she was staying in Cordonia. News of Tariq’s statement had already begun to spread. Once she was officially named Duchess, it would be international news and that wasn’t how she wanted him to find out.

It would be around 10 AM in Florida so she was confident she’d be able to reach him. Tapping the video chat icon on her phone, she pressed his name and nervously waited for the call to connect. When her dad came up on the screen his eyes went wide. “Riley! You...you look beautiful, baby!” His eyes started to glisten as he reached up to wipe them with his forefinger and thumb and his surprise turned to concern. “Where have you been? Why haven’t I heard from you?”

“I...I’m sorry, Dad. I wasn’t ready to talk to you...for a lot of reasons.”

Riley had learned from her brother during the tour that their dad had had a girlfriend for months. Knowing that she was in the midst of figuring out her heart, in search of what her mom and dad had had, she wasn’t ready to face that he’d moved on so quickly after her mom’s death...she still wasn’t.

“So you’ve talked to Drew?” her dad asked knowingly. Riley just nodded, willing herself not to cry and ruin her makeup. “Riley...I wasn’t looking for anything but...I was lonely and...”

“I’m still not ready to talk about it, Dad.”

“If you’ll just hear me out...”

“No...I’m sorry, I can’t yet Dad...everything I have ever believed about love came from you and Mom. You are the reason that I believed in soulmates and that one great love and now...now that I think I found it, you go and shit all over what I believed in.”

“Riley, that’s not fair...I...”

“Less than a year, Dad!” she shouted. “You found someone else in less than a year.”

“I loved your mother more than my own life, if it could have been me instead of her, I would have traded places in a heartbeat. But I couldn’t. And I also can’t just stop living.”

“That’s great dad, you get to keep living...dead wife...insert new girlfriend here. What about Drew and I...we can’t just find another mother! And if you think I’m going to accept this woman as a mother you’re dead wrong...I’m a grown woman, I don’t need your girlfriend thinking she can just come in and replace my mom.”

Chad frowned. “She wouldn’t do that. And I’m not asking you to love her or even be her friend...but when you meet her, I do expect you to be nice.”

“ _If_ I meet her, I will be civil...I will be the kind of woman my mother raised me to be.”

“What do you mean, _if_? I want to be in your life, Riley. I know you’re mad but please don’t shut me out.”

“I’m not dad...I’d never do that. I said ‘if’ because...I’m staying in Cordonia. That’s actually why I called, I wanted you to hear it from me and not the news.”

Chad’s face shown of all the shock that Riley had been expecting. “Riley, that’s a big decision...are you sure you...”

“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything in my life. This feels like home and I’m going to build a life here. I’ve been given citizenship and tonight I will be made a duchess which will give me a home and lands of my own.”

“A duchess? Lands? What does that even entail?”

“I guess...think of it like I’ll be a mayor or governor” she explained, grateful that they had moved on to a different subject. “They are still a rather old-fashioned monarchy here so the dukes and duchesses have authority over their duchy and rule the people that live there.”

Chad was silent for a moment while he processed her words. “And what about being queen? You said you thought you found what you were looking for, are you getting married?”

Riley shook her head. “No, I’m not getting married and I won’t be queen. Once we cleared my name, Liam tried to propose in New York, but...by that time I had realized that I was in love with Drake, so I told Liam the truth.”

“I can’t imagine that was easy” he said sadly.

Riley wiped at the tears forming in her eyes. “No, hurting someone never is, but we’ll be okay and he still wants me in his life, hence the title and citizenship.”

“That’s very big of him. And...Drake?”

For the first time since they began talking, Riley smiled. “Drake loves me too.”

Chad looked at his daughter with such pride and affection. “That’s great baby, I’m happy for you. And so proud that you’re going after what you want. I don’t know much about being a duchess but I know you’ll be a great one and Drake...Drake is a lucky man. I hope I get to meet him someday.” At the thought of not seeing his daughter, his expression became solemn.

“You will, Dad, I promise,” she said, blowing him a kiss. “Listen, I’m sorry I have to cut this short but I have a ball to get to. I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too.”

Chad disconnected the call and the screen went black. Riley sat for a moment to collect herself after the short, but emotional call, before going to the bathroom to check her makeup with the little time she had. She had finished just in time and stepped out of her room, startled to find Bastien standing at her door. Though he had helped find Tariq, her trust in him had yet to be repaired. “Can I help you with something, Bastien?”

“Lady Riley, I have come to escort you safely to the ball. King Liam’s orders.”

“Why do I need a personal escort now? And why wouldn’t he send Drake?”

“I am not sure of Drake’s whereabouts but the king insisted that your safety be ensured by the Guard. Your personal detail is not ready yet, which is why I am here. I’ve actually been looking for you all day.” Riley nodded and pulled her door shut, ready to head off. “Before we go...I owe you an apology. Lady Riley, I regret my participation in the plot against you, and the harm that it’s caused you.”

“Bastien, we need to repair the trust that was broken, but I can’t blame you for doing your job...what happened was the King Father’s fault, not yours.”

“I-Thank you.”

“Now, to the ball?”

Riley followed Bastien through the palace halls and out on to the grounds where an outdoor ballroom had been constructed for the party. With Bastien taking the lead, they pushed through a crowd of staff and nobles and emerged into the elegantly decorated tent. Above them was a billowy canvas for the roof with crystal chandeliers, as dazzling as the ones inside, hung throughout. Off the chandeliers were cascades of more strings of fairy lights than Riley had ever seen in one place. Olivia must have seen the space in advance because everything from the tent, to the curtains, to the floor seemed to sparkle in gold and diamond tones. Members of the court were already milling around, drinking champagne from the various champagne pyramids around the room and eating appetizers. Satisfied that she had arrived safely, Bastien bowed and took his leave and Riley was left to circulate the room. Out of habit from all the previous events, she scanned the crowd for a familiar face and spotted Bertrand and Maxwell by a table of appetizers. They were engaged in conversation as she approached.

“Please just talk to her...tell her how you feel,” Maxwell pleaded.

“I don’t see how I could possibly...what would I say?” Bertrand replied.

“Just be honest.”

Riley gently cleared her throat to announce her arrival. “Lady troubles?”

Bertrand looked at her sadly. “Maxwell insists that there is hope for me and Savannah, but...every time I try to talk to her, I only make things worse.”

“If you want to get through to Savannah, you need to apologize.”

“I already tried that.”

“Then maybe you didn’t apologize for the right thing.”

Bertrand was confused. “What do you mean? I apologized for not being there for her.”

Riley shook her head. “Bertrand, that was HER choice, not yours. You need to make amends for the things that led her to that choice; pushing her away and not being honest about your feelings.”

“Don’t you owe it to yourself to try?” Maxwell said.

“I...” Before Bertrand could answer, they were interrupted by the chiming of silver on glass. They turned toward the sound and saw Kiara standing by the stage with a champagne flute and a microphone in her hand.

“It is my honor to kick off tonight’s toasts to King Liam,” Kiara announced. “On behalf of my family, who express their regrets for being unable to make it tonight, I want to cordially thank King Liam for the opportunity to participate in the tour.”

“Oh no,” Bertrand whispered.

Maxwell turned back to his brother. “What is it?”

“House Beaumont is expected to participate in toasting King Liam tonight...”

“Well, you have something prepared, right?” Riley asked.

Bertrand hesitated as Kiara wrapped up her speech and a staffer passed the microphone to Rashad. As Rashad spoke, the members of House Beaumont were in a bit of a panic.

“Bertrand!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“It slipped my mind!”

“You? Bertrand Beaumont? You don’t forget things!” Riley replied. 

“I...I’ve been preoccupied. Everything with Savannah and Bartie...But that’s no excuse to be unprepared when the reputation of House Beaumont is on the line. It would seem we are at the mercy of your creativity, Riley.”

“Me?” she asked, surprised he would trust her with such a task. “Okay...okay, we’re going to be fine. I’m great under pressure.”

Maxwell smiled. “Your confidence makes me confident.”

“This is utterly foolhardy,” Bertrand muttered.

Rashad finished his toast to applause from the crowd and the microphone was passed to Adelaide. Riley held her breath, not knowing how much Adelaide had to drink and knowing her penchant for being blunt, Riley worried what the duchess would say. She was unable to focus on Adelaide’s words however as Maxwell pressured her for a plan. The microphone would soon reach them. Maxwell made suggestions and Riley felt like his ideas made for a good outline of their toast. “If we each take a part of it, it’ll be easy. Maxwell can do the intro, Bertrand can take the middle, and I’ll do the toast to Liam at the end.”

“Divide and conquer!” Maxwell exclaimed.

Bertrand conceded his approval. “That’s as good a plan as any...looks like we’re up.”

Adelaide knocked back her champagne and handed the microphone to the staffer who then brought it to Maxwell. All eyes in the room turned to the three of them.

“Er...hello and welcome to the Homecoming Ball. I’m Maxwell Beaumont. I, personally, want to thank King Liam for hosting House Beaumont and the rest of the court throughout the tour. Because of him, I had the idea to make what I’m calling a ‘hip hopera’, and I met the cutest panda cubs in the entire world.”

Liam looked on appreciatively from the stage. “You are too kind Lord Maxwell.”

“Now, my brother Bertrand, a.k.a. Duke Ramsford, will say a few words.”

Maxwell passed the microphone to Bertrand. “Thank you, Maxwell. I’d like to say a few words about our beloved Cordonia. Many of us have been away for some time, and...” Bertrand trailed off with a glazed looked on his face. Riley followed his gaze across the ballroom to where Savannah stood on the edge of the dance floor, holding Bartie on her hip. “Ahem...apologies,” he continued, trying to recover. “I was just saying that many of us have been away, and well, I can’t speak for everyone here, but I know that I, for one, have desperately missed Cordonia.” Maxwell subtly elbowed him. “Which is not to say that the tour was disappointing. What I mean is that I regret ever leaving our beautiful country...and I want nothing more than to care for her and...her people...for the rest of my life. I promise that as long as Cordonia wants me...I will be with her.” Savannah stood staring at Bertrand with her mouth agape while Maxwell quickly swiped the microphone from Bertrand. “Yep! We’re all very happy to be home. Now I think Duchess Riley has something to say.” Riley bristled for a moment hearing Maxwell call her duchess...it wasn’t official until the announcement and paperwork later. She quickly recovered, wanting to rebound from Bertrand’s disaster. “Yes. I would like to propose a toast. Everyone, please raise your glasses to King and Country!” Soft cheers of ‘hear, hear’ rippled through the crowd as everyone raised their glasses and drank.

With the toasts complete, everyone returned to their conversations. Riley noticed Bertrand’s shoulders slump and he chugged the rest of his champagne. “That was...atrocious,” he said.

Maxwell gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “Hey, it wasn’t all bad. Riley did great!”

“So did you, Maxwell,” Riley replied.

Bertrand kept his eyes down, shaking his head as he stared at the ground. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“I’m pretty sure I know what happened” Riley said. “Did you plan on confessing your feelings for Savannah to the entire court?”

“I certainly hadn’t planned on it. I just...I...what you were saying earlier. It dawned on me what I needed to do, and I...uh.” Bertrand trailed off just like before and Riley turned to see Savannah approaching.

“Bertrand,” Savannah said tentatively.

“Oh, you um...heard the speech, I suppose?”

“It seemed like I was meant to hear it. Is that really how you feel?”

Bertrand finally met her eyes. “Yes. Oh, Savannah, I’ve been an absolute fool. To think I made you feel like an obligation...” Bertrand reached for her hand but looked pained as he stopped himself. “Please, I...I know that you must want nothing to do with me, but I have to know if there is any possibility...I want to be a part of my son’s life, and yours.”

“Bertrand, some of the things you’ve done and said...have hurt me. But I’ve made mistakes too.”

“All I’m asking is for a chance.”

“I want to let you back in, but...I can’t promise anything.”

Bertrand nodded and Savannah reached to grasp his hand. Maxwell tapped Riley and suggested they leave to give Bertrand and Savannah alone time. They moved a safe distance away and stopped to grab some appetizers. “We did it! We got them talking!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“Yeah, we did. I just hope Bertrand doesn’t find a way to screw it up again. He is pretty good at getting his foot lodged in his mouth.”

“Yep. But I think he’ll do alright. This is shaping up to be a pretty good night.”

Riley wanted to agree but she was rather disappointed that she had yet to see Drake. She scanned the crowd and still found no sight of him. Sure she’d find him at some point, she decided to just relax and have fun. “Are you ready to actually enjoy this party instead of worrying about spontaneous toasts and your brother’s love life?”

“Time to get my dance on!” Maxwell exclaimed. Before they could move to the dance floor, Maxwell’s smile faded as he looked over Riley’s shoulder. She turned to see what had prompted the change and came face to face with Madeline.

“Well, well, well...”


	30. Running Home to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Homecoming Ball continues. Riley enjoys time with her friends, and a long awaited private moment with Drake, before chaos erupts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies once again readers for the long wait. It's here, the final chapter of Book 2! I can't believe it. When I started writing my spin on canon with Book 1 back in 2019, I had no idea if I'd continue or get a good response or any interest at all. I just did it to occupy myself during what was a difficult time. Writing through this last year has been quite a release for me and a source of joy while I am still home nearly 24/7 and juggling a lot with work and kids. And YOU are ALL a huge part of that! I have loved hearing from everyone in the comments. So if I haven't said it enough, THANK YOU! The good news is, I have started Book 3...the bad news is, I am not as far along as I'd like to be and now with my AU going as well it's going to be a lot, but I am up for it! I will continue to write and post as I can in this busy life and hope you all continue to stick around for the ride!
> 
> ***All characters, general storyline and dialog belong to PB...I do not own anything other than my MC's backstory, original content and original characters***
> 
> ***All chapter names are song titles and open with lyrics. I do not own any of these songs. All titles and lyrics belong to the respective artists and writers***

_Can’t say how the day will unfold, Can’t change what the future may hold  
But I want you in it, every hour, every minute  
This world can race by far too fast, Hard to see while its all flying past  
But its clear now, When you’re standing here now  
I am meant to be wherever you are next to me_

  
Riley stood frozen under Madeline’s icy glare. They hadn’t seen each other since the wedding shower which was a disaster in and of itself. Now, with the engagement broken and Riley turning down Liam and being appointed duchess, she could only imagine the tongue lashing she was about to receive.

“If it isn’t the woman who’s ruining Cordonia,” Madeline hissed.

Riley couldn’t contain a sarcastic laugh. “Ruining Cordonia? Don’t you have a flair for the dramatic. I highly doubt that you not becoming queen will lead to ruination. I’ll concede that you _may_ have made a decent ruler, but…”

“I need neither your pity, nor your approval, Lady Riley,” Madeline interrupted.

“Good because I’m not offering you either.”

“If you thought for a moment that I would rule well, then you should have kept your nose out of it and let me be queen.”

“Blame me all you want Madeline, but Liam’s choices are his own…and the reality is, you would’ve been a terrible wife. Liam deserves better.”

“Oh? And what’s better? You…a former waitress? A commoner? You’re as selfish and foolish as always.”

Riley was done with the conversation…there was nothing more to say without saying too much. She plucked a flute of champagne off of a passing servers tray and took a sip. “You know, Madeline, as much as I _truly_ wish I could stand here and listen to you insult me all day, I have a Ball to enjoy.”

“Because frivolity is all that interests you.”

Riley stepped up and looked Madeline dead in the eye. “Madeline, you don’t even know me…and you know what…you never will. But your constant need to put me down, says more about you than it does about me. You might want to think about getting a handle on your insecurities. Goodbye, Madeline.”

Riley turned to go but Madeline had to have the last word. “If you think I care about _your_ opinion of me, then you haven’t been paying attention.”

Riley stopped in her departure and looked over her shoulder. “Oh, no…I’ve heard every single one of your proclamations that you couldn’t care less about me. I’m just wondering how many times you’re going to say it before you convince yourself. If you hadn’t noticed…I’m the one walking away, because I no longer have to care about you.”

“How relieved you must feel,” Madeline shouted after her.

“Very,” Riley called without looking back. “Bye-bye,” she said sarcastically, waving over her shoulder.

Madeline brushed past her, going in the same direction. “Just don’t think you can come crawling back to me for help when you realize you’re in over your head.” And with that, she was out the door. 

Riley mentally gave her the finger and headed toward the bar for something stronger than champagne, where she finally found Drake. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! You missed it…I just about decked Madeline. How are you holding up with all this courtly finery?”

Drake turned at the sound of her voice and his eyes swept over her body and went wide. “You look like a million bucks. Literally.”

Riley laughed, not caring that he had tuned out everything she said. “I take it you like the dress?”

“Yeah, you could say that. So…you’ve been looking for me?”

“Yeah…I should have known to check the bar first.”

“If you’re calling me predictable, Nevin, I might not order you a drink.”

“I sincerely doubt that, Drake,” she said with a wink.

“…Fine, you got me, Nevin. How can I turn you down?”

Drake turned to the bartender, just as Penelope and Kiara came strolling up to place an order.

“I’ll take a…” 

Drake rolled his eyes and speaking to the bartender, pointed to Penelope…“She wants something pink with an umbrella in it.”

“How did you know?” Penelope asked.

“It’s hard to miss when someone orders one of those travesties. A real drink doesn’t need accessories.”

Riley leaned in…“By ‘a real drink’, he means ‘whiskey’,” she said with a laugh.

“I have to agree,” Kiara said. “I’ve always been more partial to wine than cocktails.”

Drake shook his head. “Look, you can drink all the top-shelf Barbaresco you want, but it’s still going to be old grape juice.”

Kiara’s mouth fell open. “I’ll…I will take a Barbaresco, oui.”

The bartender nodded and set to work pouring the drinks Drake had ordered for the ladies. A moment later he handed Kiara and Penelope each a glass. With their drinks in hand, they turned to go but hesitated and turned back to Riley.

“I…I’m sorry for our behavior at the beer garden last night, Lady Riley,” Kiara said. “When I implied that you’d come to gloat, what I meant was…”

“We were drunk,” Penelope interjected. “And scared about Madeline leaving. But the more I think about it, I think it’s a good thing. You deserve to be in Cordonia, Riley. I’m happy you’re staying.”

“Thank you…both. I’m happy to be staying too!” Riley replied, sneaking a glance at Drake.

“Maybe you can come visit my estate sometime,” Penelope said.

“Are you going back home?” Riley asked.

“Hopefully soon. It’s been a long time since I visited my parents.”

“I’m sure they can’t wait to see you,” Kiara said. “And for what it’s worth, Riley, you’re always welcome at my family’s estate too.”

Both ladies curtsied and said goodbye, turning with their drinks and disappearing into the crowd.

“How about I get you something and then we take a breather?” Drake asked when they were alone again.

“That sounds nice,” Riley agreed.

“I have an idea for where we can go to get some privacy.”

“Privacy is a hot commodity around here.”

“I’d rather spend the whole night alone with you, but…I’ll take what I can get.”

“So…what are you ordering for me? And don’t say whiskey.”

“A challenge, huh? I’ll take it.”

Drake waved the bartender over and leaned over the counter to whisper something to him. The man quickly set to work and a few moments later, passed a glass to Riley across the counter. Riley examined the glass and instantly recognized the classic mojito.

“Okay…so…why a mojito?”

“It just…felt right. Drinks kind of have their own personalities. Like people. A mojito seems like a basic cocktail. People order them like they’re nothing, but there’s complexity in there. It takes time to muddle the mint just right, find a balance of sour and sweet. People look at you and see the simple things. You’re an American. A duchess, now. But anyone who’s paying attention knows there’s a lot more to you than that.”

Riley looked at Drake with awe and affection. “For a man who says he’s not good with words, you made a drink sound very poetic. So…you’re saying I’ve got hidden depths?”

“Anyone who thinks otherwise would be underestimating you.”

Riley blushed. “Why, thank you,” she replied before dropping her voice to a whisper, “you’re making it really hard not to kiss you.”

Drake smiled. “I think you can control yourself until I get my drink.”

“So how did a guy who only drinks water and whiskey become such a cocktail whisperer?”

“You forget that I’ve watched every person in this room order drinks for years. And not one of them has decent taste.” Just then, the bartender sat down Drake’s glass of whiskey. “Now, let’s get out of here.”

Riley followed Drake away from the ball and back into the palace. When they reached the deserted quiet hallway that led to the guest room wing, they stopped to enjoy their drinks. Drake leaned against the wall with a slight smile on his face.

“So…” he said thoughtfully, “you’re going to be a duchess soon. Do I have to start calling you ‘Your Grace’?”

“God, no…who do I look like, Bertrand? If you call me anything other than Nevin, it’s going to feel weird.”

“Heh, alright. I can stick to that.”

“You know, we did kinda talk about this last night Mr. ‘I’m not drunk’,” she teased.

“Alright, alright…so maybe I was a _little_ drunk. I, um…I don’t remember much. How much did I say to embarrass myself?”

“There was no embarrassment…you were actually pretty adorable but you kept calling me Riley, so we ended up talking about why you’ve always called me Nevin.”

“Oh…yeah, it’s kinda comin’ back to me now. My apologies for being a drunk fool ‘Your Grace’,” he said with a playful bow.

“You are such a smart ass,” she laughed. “So…I’m waiting for the rest…are we getting to the part where you make fun of me for becoming a real noble?”

Drake shook his head and lifted his glass in a toast. “I know you better than that, Nevin. You’re you, and there’s nothing…not even a title…that can take that away from you.”

Riley leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Though if you ever start getting too high-and-mighty, you can count on me to remind you of the old days.”

“This is sounding like deja-vu…”

Drake laughed and finished his drink, setting the glass down on the windowsill before turning to Riley. He was gazing at her intently with heat and longing in his eyes.

She slowly sipped the last of her drink, setting her glass beside his. “We should, uh...take advantage of this privacy while we have it” she said, barely above a whisper.

Drake nodded, his eyes never leaving hers, searching and studying her face as if he wanted to commit it, and this moment, to memory. Riley was lit on fire by the intensity radiating from him and in an instant her lips were on his. Drake grabbed her hips and spun her, pressing her to the wall, and kissed her passionately. As he deepened the kiss, Riley pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his waist enjoying the full weight of body against her and moaning softly into his mouth. Drake pulled away and looked down at her, breathless. “I can think of a better place to be doing this.”

“Yes, please,” she breathed into his neck as she placed soft kisses just above his collar.

“Wait here.”

Riley pulled away and looked up at him pleadingly. “Wait here? Are you kidding?” she huffed.

“Special...remember, Nevin? If we’re gonna do this...just...let me make it special.”

“I guess if I’ve waited this long, what’s a few more minutes.”

“Believe me, Nevin, I won’t take any longer than I have to.”

Drake kissed her on the forehead and jogged down the hall, opening the door to her room and ducking inside. After what felt like forever but was actually only mere moments, he returned and took Riley’s hand, leading her down to where he had just come from. Turning backwards so he could watch her, he opened the door behind him. Once inside her reaction was everything he hoped for. A soft glow from the chandelier above illuminated her face that shone of happiness, love and surprise. All around them, candles that Drake had just lit filled the room with gentle flickering light and warmth. It was like an oasis of solitude, just as special as he had promised. Drake closed the door softly as she continued to take in the room. When Riley turned back to him, she noticed he’d been holding his breath.

“Well?” He asked nervously.

Riley smiled up at him. “It’s...perfect. When did Drake Walker become such a romantic?”

“Look at what you’ve done to me, Nevin. You’ll be the death of me.”

Drake stepped closer, one handing reaching up to caress her cheek; his eyes were dark and full of lust. “So is this really going to happen?” He asked in a hoarse whisper as he admired her in the candlelight.

“Yes,” she replied softly, melting under the gentleness of his touch.

“I’ve spent so long thinking about this...so long wanting you. It almost feels like a dream.”

Riley brushed her thumb across his lips, desperate for his kiss. “It’s real, Drake.”

Drake looked down, breaking their gaze. “I’ve got nothing to offer you. I’m no one special...and yet, somehow, here you are.”

“‘Somehow’? Drake...” she said, raising his eyes to meet hers again. “You’re everything I want...sharp, funny, challenging. You’re fiercely protective and a marshmallow at heart, no matter how much you try to hide it. And you’re offering me your love. What more could I want?”

“How do you do that, Nevin? How do you see right through me, no matter how hard I try?”

“I told you...my soul knows yours. You’re careful Drake, but you’ve met your match.”

Drake wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “I’ve spent too long being careful. I want this. I want you. Now.”

Riley felt her breath quicken and warmth pooling in her core. “I’m yours...take me.”

“Nevin...”. In an instant his lips were on hers in an urgent kiss. Riley’s hands moved quickly to his shirt, fumbling with the buttons and he pulled on the corset strings at the back of her dress. With the buttons finally undone, Riley peeled off his dress shirt. Drake pulled the white t-shirt underneath over his head as she ran her hands over the chiseled muscles of his chest and abs. Her hands moved immediately to his belt.

“In a hurry?” he laughed.

“You’re the one who said you were tired of being careful...”. With the belt undone, Riley undid his jeans and helped him out of them until he stood in only his boxer briefs. “God your hot,” she whispered.

“Look who’s talking.” Drake spun her around, quickly and carefully unlacing the corset back as he placed warm kisses down her neck and shoulders. When her gown finally fell to the floor, he turned her back around, growing harder at the sight of her in her pale pink strapless bra and thong. “You’re so fucking beautiful, it’s insane.” His lips crashed to hers, his tongue urgently seeking entrance as they stumbled across the room. A trail of clothes marked their path as her bra and thong and his briefs came off along the way; their lips barely parting.

“Now who’s in a hurry?” Riley panted when they came up for air.

“Can you blame me?” he replied, catching her bottom lip between his teeth, eliciting a moan from her. Slowly, his hand roamed up her side until he cupped her breast and teased her nipple with his thumb. In between kisses, Riley turned and pinned Drake against the wall. His hands moved to the small of her back, pulling her closer, his hardened manhood pressed against her pelvis. She craved him, all of him. Their kisses became more fervent as their hands explored each others bodies. Riley ran her fingertips slowly, teasingly up his thigh until she reached what she desired. Grazing him gently at first, she wrapped her hand around the shaft of his rock hard cock and he moaned her name.

"Nevin..."

Drake's hand slid down her ass and thighs until he picked her up with ease. Riley wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her over to the bed. Gently laying her down, Drake hovered over her, kissing her; stopping only to drink in the sight of her naked body. A body he wanted to worship.

"You're too good to be true, Nevin," he whispered as he trailed kisses down her collarbone to her breasts. Taking one of her perfect pink nipples into his mouth, she moaned and thrust her pelvis up. His cock grazed against her just right and she felt her body respond with more warmth in her core.

"I'm real, Drake. I'm here and I'm yours, let me prove it to you."

Riley pulled him into a passionate kiss as his hand slid down her body, over her breast and hip, finally reaching her folds.

"God, you're so wet, Nevin."

Slowly he parted her lips and slid two fingers inside her, curling them gently and thrusting in and out. As she bucked against his hand, his lips followed the path his fingers had just taken. Drake looked up and held her gaze while his tongue darted out, tracing slow, tantalizing circles over her clit that sent shivers down her spine. Riley arched her back, feeling a rush of ecstasy while his fingers and tongue worked in unison to bring her over the edge.

"Oh god, yes...Drake."

Drake continued with his tongue, hungrily taking what she had to offer, but Riley wanted more. She needed all of him. Reaching down, she grasped his shoulder and pulled him until he was hovering over her again, kissing her passionately. The taste of herself on his tongue only fueled her fire. Drake moved his hips in circles, teasing her as the tip of his cock brushed her swollen, sensitive clit. Even without him inside her, she felt herself reflexively tighten; she ached for him.

"Please, Drake...I need you," she breathed out.

Drake lined up with her entrance and eased himself into her wetness and she gasped in pleasure. He was larger than she'd ever had before, yet somehow he was a perfect fit. _They_ were a perfect fit; made for each other. Setting a slow and intoxicating pace, they stared into each others eyes as they fell into perfect sync with each breath and movement. Drake took his time, studying her, explorig her, wanting to know everything he could about pleasing her.

"Drake," she moaned, "don't stop."

"Not a chance," he replied as he felt her walls tightening around. Riley arched her back and wrapped her legs around him, feeling him get deeper. Drake's breaths became ragged but he didn't stop. Trailing her hands down his back, she felt her own breath quicken and she gripped his ass just as she fell over the edge.

Riley pulled him into a passionate kiss as she felt her coil already tightening again. Drake leaned back and lifted her hips as he drove into her. Every fiber of her being was set a blaze as he hit her spot over and over again with each stroke. Riley reached up and grabbed the headboard as her release rippled through her body. No man had ever made her feel something this powerful. The look of sheer ecstasy on her face was enough to send Drake over the edge. As her walls pulsed and clung to him, she felt the power of his release when he spilled inside her and they both cried out for each other. With a few final slow movements, Drake went still on top of her, kissing her neck, up her jaw and until he reached her lips. Almost the moment he was out of her, she missed the feel of him filling her; completing her. This man and what he did to her, were now her addiction. It was so much more than she had even dreamed and she wasn't sure if she'd ever get enough. 

Basking in the after glow, Riley and Drake lay curled up in bed; her the little spoon to his big spoon. His arm wrapped tightly around her and she relaxed feeling the rise and fall of his chest against her back.

“That was...”. Drake stopped and Riley felt him just shake his head.

“Have I rendered you speechless?”

“How about this? Now I can die a happy man.”

Riley turned to face him. “I like you better alive if it’s all the same.” She kissed his lips sweetly. “Plus, I’m gonna need a lot of that.”

“I’ll try not to disappoint.”

“If tonight was any indication, I don’t think you could. I’m hooked, Mr. Walker.”

Drake kissed her gently on the shoulder and then reluctantly sat up in the bed.

“It pains me to say this but we should probably head back before people start to wonder where we are.”

“You sure I can’t keep you here?”

Drake looked down at her, her eyes still filled with desire and lips plump from kissing. “Don’t torture me, Nevin. If it was up to me, we wouldn’t leave this room for at least a week. Leave it to courtly functions to drag you away from me.”

“Mmmm...a week? I like the sound of that” she said as she watched his beautiful, naked form rise from the bed and begin gathering their scattered clothes.

Riley untangled herself from the sheets and slowly started putting on her undergarments and dress. Drake came up behind her and laced up the corset back surprisingly quick. “Ready to brave the crowd again?”

“If I must,” she sighed. They extinguished the last of the candles and made their way back down to the ball.

\--------------------------------------

When Drake and Riley entered the ball, Bertrand spotted them and frantically rushed to Riley’s side. “Riley, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Time to check in with some acquaintances and see just how well all your work has paid off.”

“Ummm...so, more mingling?”

“Precisely! Starting with our Italian contact.”

Riley looked up at Drake and rolled her eyes. As Bertrand led her away, she waved to Drake over her shoulder and watched as he headed back to the bar. They approached Francesco who was just off the dance floor chatting with a group of nobles about the Italian Cup.

“Buona sera, Francesco,” Riley said politely.

“Ah, Duchess Riley. What a delight to see you again. And under such tremendous circumstances. Now that you’re in the Cordonian elite, do your old friend a favor and put in a good word for Italy with your King Liam.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Maybe we can set up a meeting to discuss a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Francesco offered her a gracious smile and bowed before turning back to his conversation.

Bertrand was extremely pleased. “Most excellent, Riley. I have no doubt you’ll establish yourself here quickly. Why don’t you go visit with Duchess Adelaide next?” He pointed across the dance floor to where Adelaide was speaking with Justin. Riley approached and heard Justin doing his best brown-nosing and Adelaide was just basking in the attention.

“Good evening Justin, Duchess Adelaide,” Riley said with a smile.

“Riley! I was just telling Duchess Adelaide about some of my past clientele. Riley’s a prime example of my best work.” Adelaide looked impressed and Riley resisted the urge to contradict Justin.

“And what an example you are, Riley,” Adelaide enthused. “Congratulations on your big news! I look forward to enjoying many more decadent parties thrown in your honor.”

“I’ll keep the bar well stocked for you,” Riley quipped.

“Have fun tonight, Riley. You earned it,” Justin said.

Riley thanked them both and returned to Bertrand who looked quite pleased. A moment later, Liam joined them and requested a moment alone with Riley. Bertrand bowed to the king and left them to converse in private.

“Are you enjoying the ball?” Liam asked.

“Yes, I’m having a great time! You sure know how to throw a party.”

“I do my best...though I can hardly take all the credit. The palace staff does most of the work on this sort of event.”

Riley smiled. “So humble.”

“I’m told that’s one of my best qualities.” Liam leaned in and lowered his voice. “I saw you across the room and it got me thinking...I have a few spare moments before my speech. I was thinking of taking a walk through the maze for old times sake. There is a spot nearby that I’d love to show you. A wishing well. With all the commotion of the ball, no one would miss us. We’d be utterly alone.”

Riley hesitated for a moment; Liam’s demeanor giving her pause. His tone and smile were the same as they were all the times he invited her to meet during the tour. “Utterly alone...as friends?” she asked gently.

“Yes, yes...of course, Riley. My intentions are honorable. Will you join me?”

Riley glanced to the bar and noticed Drake was no longer there and couldn’t find him in the crowd. Knowing he still harbored some insecurities, she didn’t want to upset him but she needed to make an effort if she and Liam were going to stay friends. After a moment of thought, she agreed to join him and Liam led her through a side entrance of the tent and out across the palace grounds. Liam walked confidently into the maze, navigating the twists and turns of the path with ease. “I come to this maze often, when I need a place to walk and think,” he explained. “Today, I couldn’t help thinking about the Coronation and how little we knew that our lives were about to change. I’ve spent many hours wishing that night had gone differently. But tonight, with so much in store for the both of us, I want to look forward, not back.”

“I’m surprisingly grateful for everything that got us here, even the hard stuff but I’m ready to put the past behind us too. I’m not naïve enough to believe in fairytale endings anymore but I am hoping for at least something resembling ‘happily ever after’.”

“In that case, I think you will approve of our destination.”

Liam continued to lead Riley deeper into the maze than they had gone on their previous visit. The hedges surrounding them were older, the trees were taller and they were still a good distance from the center. After rounding one last corner, they turned into a small, secluded clearing where there were bright colorful flowers blooming and as promised, a wishing well covered in climbing vines.

“I wasn’t sure if you were joking about the wishing well.”

Liam smiled. “It’s one of the oldest structures in the palace, if you believe the stories. My mother showed me this place when I was a child. The tradition says that if you whisper your heart’s desire into the well, the fates will make it come true. And tonight, I thought we could both use a wish to guide us forward.”

“It certainly wouldn’t hurt to make a wish…mine as well give it a shot.” Riley stepped up to the edge of the well, her senses filled with the scent of the floral vines and the moonlight glistened on the surface of the water below. Closing her eyes, she pictured Drake and his rare smile and was overcome with warmth knowing she was responsible for that smile as she whispered her simple wish; to live happily ever after.

When Riley stepped away, Liam moved to the edge. He raised his face to the moon, with his eyes closed deep in thought before finally smiling and leaning in to whisper to the well. Once he stepped back, he looked at Riley and while his lips smiled, his eyes shone of longing and regret. She wondered for a moment if his wish had anything to do with her but she knew he was too pragmatic for that. They both knew that a wish couldn’t change a heart.

“What did you wish for?” she asked.

“Something I certainly hope to find. I wished for the courage to never let my fear dictate my choices, the way my father did.”

Though her heart had taken her in a different direction, Riley felt it swell with affection for him. It wasn’t romantic affection, it was more admiration and appreciation for who he was at his core. This man had been hurt by his father, hurt by her and instead of wallowing in the pain, he chose to find the lesson in it, he wanted to be better. “Liam, you’re already twice the king your father was, and…a better man. You’ve learned from his mistakes. Wish or no wish, your people are lucky to have you. No one can be a perfect king, but I know that you’ll be a great one.”

“I…thank you,” he said, his eyes locked on her intently. “I can’t tell you how much your faith means to me.”

“It is well-deserved! And now you can earn even more of my faith and trust by guiding me out of here, back to the ball. I literally have no idea where we are.”

Liam laughed, a genuine laugh that Riley was happy to hear. “This place takes the ‘maze’ part of its title much more seriously than most hedge mazes do, but never fear. I’ll get us back to civilization. Thank you for joining me tonight, Riley. It meant a great deal to share this place with you.”

“It means a lot that you wanted to share it with me,” she replied.

Liam turned and carefully retraced their steps, leading them out of the maze in no time. As they got closer to the maze entrance they could hear the sounds of laughter and music coming from the ball, guiding their way.

The moment they reentered the tent, they were met by Hana and Maxwell.

“Riley! The fireworks are about to start! Where have you been?” Maxwell exclaimed.

“Just hanging out, waiting for you to find me, of course,” she teased.

“Consider yourself found. We have to go.”

“The best view is on the lawn outside,” Hana said. “Drake is holding a spot for us.”

Riley laughed. “Putting his usual ‘standing around at parties’ bit to good use.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Liam said.

Maxwell took Riley by the arm and led her out of the tent, around the side of the palace and onto the front lawn. Liam and Hana followed closely behind, laughing at Maxwell’s urgency. When they reached the open space near the fountain, they found Drake, along with Bertrand, Savannah, and Bartie.

“I held our spot…with a few additions,” Drake said.

“I hope you don’t mind us joining you,” Savannah added.

“Not at all! Everyone should be here,” Riley replied.

Maxwell beamed at Bartie. “The whole family, uncles included.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Touching family things. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.”

Riley playfully nudged his shoulder and got a little grin out of him right before Bertrand interrupted.

“Lady Riley, if I may have a moment of your time.”

Bertrand grabbed Maxwell and led Riley away from the others closer to the edge of the fountain. “Riley…there’s something I want to say to you. By now you well know that…I didn’t always believe in you. In your ability to represent House Beaumont in our time of need. But you have proven me wrong time and time again, and well…I am proud of you. You have earned my utmost esteem, and I would venture to say that you are far more than an _honorary_ Beaumont.”

Riley was so touched that tears were welling in her eyes. For all the times he had annoyed her, she knew Bertrand had a good heart and came from a well meaning place with all his actions. “I’m…still a Beaumont, even though I have my own duchy?”

Maxwell threw his arm around her shoulder. “You’ll always be a Beaumont to us!”

“Unquestionably,” Bertrand agreed.

“Guys…I think this calls for a group hug!” Riley exclaimed.

A look of panic crossed Bertrand’s face. “No…no, that’s not necessary. I think…”

“Bring it in,” Maxwell cried, grabbing them both and pulling them close. 

Riley and Maxwell rocked back and forth in embrace while Bertrand stood ramrod straight. “Okay, okay…I’ve had my fill of this ridiculous display of affection.” They released their hold on Bertrand and giggled at his pained expression. “That was awful. Remind me to never express genuine emotion to you people again.”

“Oh, come Bertrand. That was nice. We should do that more often,” Maxwell said.

“Feel free to exclude me. Now, I’m going to find somewhere to sit.” Bertrand’s gaze drifted toward where Savannah was seated on the grass with Bartie in her lap.

“Go on, Bertrand…sit with them,” Maxwell encouraged.

“I’ll…find my own place. Best not push things too quickly.” He paused in his departure, giving them both a stern look. “ _Don’t_ be late for Liam’s speech after the show.”

Riley and Maxwell shared a look and stifled a laugh as Bertrand took his leave.

“So…” Riley said once he was gone. “This whole Bertrand-Savannah thing?”

“Yeah, we’ve got to fix that. He needs _so_ much help.”

Before they could formulate a plan, a herald stepped out of the palace and began the countdown to the show. Riley and Max returned to the others seated beside the fountain to join their friends. Careful not to be too obvious, Riley took a seat beside Drake. “Welcome to the show, Nevin.”

“I hope you don’t mind the company.”

“At this point, I’m bound to be surrounded by somebody. I’m glad it’s you.”

“My, my, my…how far you’ve come from Liam being your only friend.”

“It’s disgusting and I blame you for everything.”

Riley laughed. “I think what you meant to say is ‘thank you’. But since you _blame_ me, I guess I’ll have to make it up to you with some alone time.”

“Alone time with you? I wouldn’t say no to that.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” she replied with a wink.

“This is…nice,” Drake said, looking at her lovingly. “Being home. Being here…with you.”

Riley discretely took Drake’s hand, squeezing it affectionately while he smiled at her.

“It took us long enough to get here,” she replied.

Drake laughed. “You can say that again. Thanks for not giving up on me, Nevin.”

“We both know I’m too stubborn to ever give up…just the right amount of stubborn to convince you that you shouldn’t give up either. I love you, Drake.”

“I love you too, Nevin.”

“So…I know there is more to do before we’re really ‘public’ but…what do you think comes next for us?”

Drake ran his hand through his hair and looked up at the stars while he pondered her question. “I’ll be honest, I’ve never been much for big future plans. Most of the time I just try to roll with whatever life throws at me.”

Riley looked at him with surprise. “You’ve never thought about where you want to be in a couple of years? Expanding your cabin in the woods to make a home, or, I don’t know…getting married?”

“I can’t say I’ve thought about it much other than that conversation in New York.” Riley tried to hide her disappointment but Drake noticed and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Nevin, all I know is that whatever happens, I want to be here with you. After everything you’ve been through…I want to do this right.”

“So…does that mean you want to take things slow? Drake, I…I didn’t mean to push you. If I’m moving to fast, I’m sorry, I just…”

“No, no…that’s not it at all. I just meant…hell, Nevin, I never thought I’d get a chance to be with you. And now that I am…I don’t want to mess it up. You’re more than I ever could’ve hope for. I just want you to know that I won’t take a moment of this…of us…for granted. It’s not a plan, and I don’t know how it will unfold but whatever the future holds, I want you in it.”

Riley breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay…thank goodness. I just…I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way before, about anything or anyone. I’m happy here, I’m happy with you and for the first time in my life I’m not thinking about running off to find what’s next because what I want is right here…I won’t take it for granted either, Drake.” She melted under the gentleness of his gaze and had to fight the urge to kiss him. “But…if we’re not taking things slow…does that mean more sneaking off to our bedrooms?” she asked with a wink.

Drake laughed that hearty laugh that she loved to hear from him and gave her a look of desire that made her blush. “If I thought we could get away with it, I’d take you back there right now.”

“I guess there will be other parties to sneak away from.”

“I’m counting on it.”

From the doorway, the herald had reached ‘10’ in his countdown and the crowd joined in. All around them, their friends were shouting out the numbers and looking to the sky. With everyone sufficiently distracted, Riley took the opportunity to lean in and kiss Drake. It was slow and sensual and his arms came around her waist. Above them, the fireworks started and broke them from their kiss for just a moment as they breathed each other’s names and Drake pulled her in again. The color explosions in the sky matched the passion they both felt, lost in each other while everyone else looked to the sky. Coming up for air with joyful smiles on their faces, they both looked up in time to catch the finale. As the last colors and smoke faded from the sky, everyone regrouped to head back inside.

“That was everything I hoped for,” Maxwell exclaimed. “We should do this _every_ night.”

“I don’t think I can handle every night,” Hana cried. Maxwell threw a comforting arm around her shoulders.

“Bartie barely handled it tonight,” Savannah interjected. 

“He looks fine. He has that old Beaumont endurance in him,” Maxwell replied.

Liam politely urged them from behind to keep moving back to the ball. “We should prepare for the final speech to honor Riley tonight.”

“I almost forgot how this ball goes on forever,” Drake said.

Riley nudged him playfully. “Hey! It’s all been good so far.”

“Yeah, yeah…you’re right, Nevin.”

Savannah laughed watching their exchange. “Same old Drake. Come on, let’s go find some fancy food to disparage.”

The final part of the evening was to take place inside in the grand ballroom. All of the servers had moved inside and were walking around with trays of champagne in preparation for the last toast after Liam’s speech. Liam broke off to prepare while Riley and her friends joined the rest of the gathering crowd.

“Am I supposed to be somewhere else?” Riley asked, looking around at the large group of people.

“Worried that they’ll start without you, Nevin?”

“It’s not like they can do much without the lady of the hour,” Hana said.

“Don’t worry, Blossom. Liam will signal you to come up when it’s time.”

“Okay…I guess that sounds easy enough,” Riley replied as she grabbed a champagne from a passing server.

Maxwell pulled her into an embrace. “I’d say make us proud, but we couldn’t be more proud of you.”

“Awww…thank you, Max. That means so much. It’s crazy to think how far we’ve all come.” Riley looked around at her friends who had become family and her heart swelled. “And to think, Drake was so worried about me when I arrived in Cordonia.”

Drake smiled warmly. “If anyone was going to prove me wrong about this place not being a fairy tale full of happily ever afters…I’m glad it was you.”

Another server passed by and ensured that everyone had their champagne. The chime of silver on glass drew their attention to the stage on the far side of the dance floor where Liam stood smiling out at the crowd. “Before the evening draws to a close, I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for coming together to celebrate our return and to celebrate our new _Duchess_ Riley of House Nevin. She has shown true strength in the face of adversity, a trait which we born Cordonians know well. Revitalizing the old Houses of Cordonia is just one of the ways in which I plan to reinvest in our beautiful country. Please join me in raising a glass once more to her…to Duchess Riley…the newest member of the Cordonian nobility!”

Everyone in the room applauded and then raised their glasses. As promised, Liam found Riley in the crowd and smiled, extending his hand to invite her up on stage. Riley moved to make her way through the crowd when suddenly, the lights went out and the whole room went black. Murmurs of confusion reverberated through the room but were broken up by an explosive popping sound tearing through the air, followed quickly by another. Some in the crowd wondered if there were more fireworks but a voice broke above the din…“Not fireworks…gunshots! Run!”

Confusion turned to panic when everyone began to run through the dark for the exits. The room filled with the sound of screams; without light, bodies collided and fell to floor. Riley reached back, trying to find her friends but there were too many people all around her as her heart raced. Through the chaos, she heard Drake’s voice. “Riley! Get down! Now!”

Riley dropped to the ground, attempting to crawl through the mass of legs back in the direction where she last saw Drake when she bumped into the legs of a large man. Through the darkness she looked up and could faintly make out that he was wearing what looked like tactical gear and the outline of a mask.

“Now…take them out!” she heard the man yell. 

As she moved to go around him, the lights came back on. Even with their ability to see returned, the chaos continued to unfold when people noticed the large group of men dressed as if going into battle. Drake quickly made his way to Riley’s side but in all the panic and frenzy, they couldn’t find Maxwell or Hana. They looked around, trying to find sight of their friends and heard Bastien’s voice boom through the room. “King Liam, get down!”

At the front of the room, Liam was still on the stage, flanked by his security team fighting off nearly a dozen assassins. Riley’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Liam duck under a knife and deftly throw the attacker over his shoulder. Drake’s eyes were locked on the scene as well and on impulse he wanted to go help his friend. He took a few steps toward the stage before he turned to give Riley instructions to get out. Over her shoulder, he saw another one of the assassins and his eyes went wide. Riley turned to follow his gaze and found the barrel of a gun aimed right at her. From behind her, she heard Liam scream her name. Her brain was screaming ‘ _run_ ’ but her body was frozen. As tears began to stream down her face, Riley felt her shoulder being struck with great force just as the assassin pulled the trigger and the sound of the firing gun rang in her ears. “ _No!”_ Drake screamed.

Riley realized too late that the hit to her shoulder was Drake. Before she had time to think or react, he jumped in front of her and put his own body between her and the bullet. When the bullet struck, the force sent him falling backwards into her and they collided, falling to the ground. Between the collision and her tears, Riley could barely breath, managing only the sound of strangled sobs and his name catching in her throat.

“Drake… _Drake!_ ” Chaos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing smut...I hope it didn't disappoint.


End file.
